


7 Devils

by MyWeirdoEyes



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Abusive Father, Akashi is a kitsune, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Aomine's a Tengu, Borgia's, But that's the previous life, Demons, Fallen Angels, Flashbacks, Haizaki is a Naga, I don't meant that as an insult, Kise's an incubus, Kiyoshi is Pazuzu, Kuroko is a nymph, M/M, Magic, Midorima is Yuki-onna, Momoi's a witch, Multi, Murasakibara is a Nightmare, Neglective/Abusive mother, Other, Reincarnation, The psychopathic crazy, The rest of them are crazy ass demons, There's Ciel and Sebastian too, This is a large crossover really, Ton of OC's, but Sebastian is Malphas, but as a species, kind of, lol, sort of, what else
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-12
Updated: 2017-09-03
Packaged: 2018-01-08 10:12:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 19
Words: 52,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1131420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyWeirdoEyes/pseuds/MyWeirdoEyes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kuroko is the heir to the throne of the powerful Hideaki Empire. What he doesn't know is that his father made a deal with 7 devils years ago to make the empire so powerful. And now those seven demons have come to claim their reward. GoM Teppei Haizaki/Kuroko.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Sometimes, just sometimes when Kuroko wanted to escape the hustle and bustle of the palace he'd go to the city below. It was a huge city that stretched as far as the eye could see and it was one Kuroko only held fond memories of. Even now the hasty movement on the mainstreet cheered him up as all seemed to be moving with purpose. Something he often felt he was lacking. The streets were riddled with confetti and candy that hadn't been caught during the parade a few days ago. The parade had been for his father's birthday. The streetcleaners had done their best but Kuroko knew that the confetti would be lingering for at least one more week even with cleaning spells and elementalists helping. The banners had mostly been taken down but here and there were still a few hanging out of someone's window or store. Kuroko thought that the lingering atmosphere of the festivities was far more spectacular than the ball in the palace had been.

Above him the sky was filled with doves, ravens and even a few owls and eagles here and there. Each either carrying a message or returning from having done so. It filled him with desire to be one of the citizens. To have such connections. The people interacted freely with eachother here. Kuroko longed to experience the same. It was why he was now here. He left the mainstreet once he reached the armorstore. In the alley he was entering now was an orphanage. It was here that he spend most of his time out of the palace. He enjoyed their genuine wonder and amazement at the world. The way they remained bright even without a parent to love and cherish them. It was something he had never managed after his mother's death.

Most of the children were in the alley, running as they skirted around the people getting to work, forever laughing. The girl who was keeping an eye on them looked tired and wary. Likely waiting for a paper bomb to be thrown against one of the passerby's heads. The first one to notice him was one of the older kids.

"Tetsu!" he greeted. As one the rest of the children's head swung around to look for him. Small bodies threw themselves at him. Words and greeting were shouted, each kid trying to get his own piece in. A warm feeling bloomed in his chest. It was all worth it. He placed his hand on a few heads.

"Where have you been?" One finally managed to make himself heard over the others. When Kuroko opened his mouth to answer they immediately all fell silent. Like his words were gospel.

"I've been busy with my lessons." Before any of them could ask what kind of lessons he offered.

"Want to see some magic?" Shouts of excitement and agreement followed. One of the kids ran inside. Kuroko waited.

The kid came back and presented him a chair. Kuroko smiled at him and sat down. He leaned forwards, clenched both his hands fists and then, finger by finger, he unfurled them. Blue butterflies flew from his hand. The kids ooh'ed and aah'ed, trying to catch the flying wonders and running after them when they escaped. The few children who hadn't ran of stared at him beseechingly. Kuroko already knew what they wanted. Gently he instructed them on how to create the butterflies themselves. When one of the older kids managed to make his own bright orange butterfly appear Kuroko left them to it, knowing they would help each other. Magic like this cost almost nothing.

The girl who had been leaning against the door of the orphanage smiled gratefully at him. He returned the expression before entering the orphanage. It didn't take long before he found himself standing in the kitchen next to the matron.

She was making preparations for dinner with a few of the teenagers helping her out.

"What new trick did you learn those brats this time? I swear by the gods, if you taught them another one of those prank bombs, I'll..."

Kuroko shrugged at her. "Nothing destructive I promise, just how to conjure light butterflies."

She frowned worriedly at him. "Nothing illegal I hope? The guards are cracking down hard on most magic these days. "

Kuroko shook his head. "They're just pretty lights. The guards won't mention it."

"Good, good." She said distractedly as she waved one of the younger teens away from an over boiling pot. While she chastised the girl for not having put a wooden spoon on top Kuroko spelled the mess away. When the matron noticed she seemed a bit flabbergasted.

"But, the water...?" She questioned, looking around the kitchen. The oldest boy nodded his head towards Kuroko.

"He took care of it, Sasa."

"Oh. Well, thanks, I suppose. " After that there wasn't anymore conversation. Kuroko mostly sat at the table now and then preventing some cooking disasters with a twitch of his fingers. It made him wonder how Sasa normally coped without the help of magic. When dinner was finished he helped setting the table in the dining room before going out to collect the children. Except for the blue butterflies there were now also orange, purple and red examples. Only one of the kids he had explained it to hadn't gotten it yet. The other three were rallied around her, pointing out helpful tips. After another second or two a green butterfly crawled from her palm. For a moment it seemed like it wasn't going to fly but then it spread it's wing and took to the skies. The girl face lightened up and before she could even think to cheer out her success she was buried under a pile of hugging bodies who were all equally excited for her.

"Well done." All four kids looked up at him before a grin spread as one across their faces.

"Thanks!" One of the kids answered his smile now so wide it must have hurt.

Kuroko told them to head inside for dinner was finished. It took a bit longer to collect the other kids but a few minutes later found them all in the dining room. He was just about to sit down himself when he heard the matron questioning where someone named Mukuro was. One of the kids answered that he hadn't left his room today. When he heard Sasa sigh tiredly at that answer he offered to go and get the child. She thanked him and explained that Mukuro's room was on the third floor, the last door on the right hallway.

When he opened said door he was surprised to find the room dark, curtains closed. The air smelled stale and old. He wondered when the window had last been opened. There was no child in the room. There was a spider though.

He blinked and shook the illusion of. While the room was still quite dark, the air was fresh now. A small child was seated on the bed. His hair was dark, night blue and his eyes likely would have been the same if not for the one red eye. A rune seemed to be carved into it. Apprehension rose in him. Such magic was painful and costing in sacrifice. He wondered who had the coldheartedness to do it to a child.

"You must be Mukuro." He spoke, tone soft.

"Kufufu, and who might you be?" the boy chuckled with a voice low .

"Tetsuya. The children here call me Tetsu. I'd tell you to do the same but I suspect you're no longer a child, are you?" He didn't give out his full name, knowing the risk that came associated with it, the realization that would dawn.

"I would say I'm different from the children here, kufufu." There was something about the kid that made Kuroko think that this orphanage with all it's happiness and brightness was a bad fit for Mukuro. Like he'd thrive better in an environment were people knew about suffering. Knew about the filth that walked the earth, covered it. It wasn't just orphanage that was a bad fit for Mukuro. It were children in themselves that were a bad fit for the boy.

Someone who had seen the worst of humanity and couldn't bear to see the best of it day after day. It inspired paranoia. Kuroko could understand. The children here were refreshing after all of the palace politics but they were also painful for they told a tale of what could have been.

"Well, then why don't I adopt you?"

The child looked at him shrewdly. Kuroko didn't like that look on a child's face. It was too close to his own at that age. The distrust of others.

'Tetsuya is in the corner, under a hastily woven but strong illusion from his mom. Crimson fluid is spreading to his little corner of the room and he makes himself even smaller, desperately not wanting it to touch him. It reaches all the same. '

The child let out a cold chuckle. "Kufufufu, I'll accept your help for now."

He saw it, Kuroko realized. Kuroko laughed softly."You're a tad like me, aren't you?"

Before the boy could react Kuroko proposed they head down to dinner. Afterwards Kuroko approached Sasa about adopting Mukuro. She was hesitant about it, told him there was something strange about the kid. A sad smile had been her answer.

When Kuroko left the orphanage that evening it was with a ward.

The belt swung down for the umpteenth time. Kuroko bit down on his already bitten through lip feeling the sweat drip down his face as the blood did down his back. The flesh of his back was probably torn to pieces by now. For a moment the lashes stopped and Kuroko prepared himself for the hit he knew would come. Hard. A foot connected violently with his stomach causing him fly with his back against the wall. For the first time that night he cried out. At last the beating had stopped. He looked up slowly, the first thing he saw being his father's face. It looked strange, scrunched up. He left the room. Alexandra entered the room. Her long blonde waves were pinned up. He saw the pity in her blue eyes. Normally he got along reasonably with her but he despised her when she looked at him like that. Her condition was little better than his. She might not be covered in injuries like him but emotionally there was little difference between them.

Alexandra tried to tend to his wounds, but he automatically shied away from her touch. A sigh escaped from her ruby red lips.

She used to be one of the armies greatest assets; a smart woman and one of the best sword fighters in the empire. Then the council wanted his father to pick a consort or wife. She was removed from the army. All because the council thought his father needed more children. The two of them got along quite well. However, there were times where he couldn't stem the bitter feeling that would rise at the knowledge that she was replacing his mother. His mother who had died because of the abuse.

"I'll go get the nurse."

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Akashi looked at the emperor they had helped years ago and felt slightly …nauseous. The boy that they had made a contract with years ago hadn't been the most pure person on earth, but this person his soul was absolutely vile. He suddenly felt happy that they hadn't put a price on their help years ago and had decided to think it over and come for their reward later. The years had been kind to their contractor. He hadn't been a beautiful boy, but he had grown up to be a somewhat handsome man. Nowhere near their own beauty but then again he had yet to see a mortal who was.

After arguing for a few decades the group of demons still hadn't agreed on what they wanted as reward. Akashi had decided for them to go to human realm and see if there was anything worth having. Right now he was discussing their stay. Well, discussing…more demanding.

"I can't have your …kind going around the castle what are the nobles going to think of me?"

Akashi listened to the man's whining and decided to forego the asking and just take. He sent a look at Haizaki and Aomine. Aomine grinned while Haizaki just che'd. They both did what he asked though. Suddenly they were in front of the man's throne. Haizaki grabbed the man by the throat with his left hand and hefted him up while Aomine leaned closer to the man's face.


	2. Chapter 2

Mukuro looked around the room he had been stuffed in since the strange guy with the light blue hair had disappeared. It was a beautiful room fitting for royalty. It was almost like a flat within the palace. There was a living room, a bedroom, a bathroom and a small office room. The walls of the living room were painted to be a rather nice scenario. A field full of wildflowers with the sun was setting. The ground was covered in a thick beige colored carpet. Here and there were abstract paintings on the wall. Vases full with the same wildflowers as those on the wall decorated a coffee table, a normal table and several other furniture. The three couches were fairly comfortable and Mukuro was able to sink away in them with his child like body. There was also a chess table and tons of books tucked away in bookcases. Not to forget the grand piano of course. Yes, Mukuro had gone all out in his inspection of the room.

The bathroom existed mainly out of marble. There was a large ground tub. A lot like a swimming pool actually. Except that a swimming pool didn't have warm water or decorative fishes and mermaids made of rubies, emeralds, sapphires, diamonds and other gemstones , Rich people.

He got adopted by the prince. The fact that the Borgia empire and the Hideaki empire were at the brink of war convinced him that doing so might not be the best idea. The prince was obviously going to be a target in that war. Hmmm, maybe he should look around a tad bit more before deciding to possess the prince. No use continuing thinking about this now though. He would end up seeing the prince sooner or later anyway as he was in his room.

The bedroom was in a way a lot like the living room . There weren't any grand pianos or couches, but the room was decorated with red spider lily's and snowdrops. There were once again tons of books tucked away in bookcases, but while the ones in the living room had been educational books these were more often than not fictional books. The walls were once again a beautiful scenario. A snowstorm. Mukuro had never known that a painting with so little colors could be so very alive.

On the wall left to the door stood a small young girl. Probably around six years old. She was wearing a blood red coat. The red of the coat matching that of the spider lily's oh so very well. Her black hair blowing in all directions because of the headstrong wind, but even though the wind and snow were obviously beating on her there was a smile playing around her lips. When he looked farther up her face he froze. Because while that smile had seemed completely honest her eyes were colder and more bitter than the raging snowstorm around her could ever be. They seemed to contain hopelessness, locked away anger and a feeling of helplessness. It almost seemed like she had been …Abandoned.

"Do you like it?" A tired voice with a hint of pain still fading away asked him. Mukuro slowly turned around cursing himself for only having realized now that there was someone else in the room.

"Kufufufu,I suppose I do." He looked at the light blue colored hair. The prince had big eyes in the same color as his hair with long black eyelashes covering them. The skin looked a lot like porcelain, but had a pink hue to it and a thin layer of sweat. The nose was straight and the lips bitten through. The prince had a pained expression on his face as he was obviously trying hard to resist biting on his lips again. He looked to be around 17 years old. A few years younger than Mukuro his real age. He was quite petite for a boy of his age.

"I'm happy you do. I'm sorry you have to see me in this state, but I'm afraid that since you will be staying in this room for as long as you'll remain at the palace I'm afraid you'll be seeing me a lot more in this state."

Mukuro continued taking in Kuroko's appearance and his words and realized that he must be regularly beaten.

Kuroko sighed.

"Mukuro,I want you to feel at home here so you don't have to mind yourself around me. I know that I will be doing the same around you. I'll be heading to the garden, if you want you can join me. If not feel free to do whatever you want. As long as I still have a room left when I return to my bedroom. You can invite people into this wing but I want you to inform me on beforehand. I'll do the same for you. Agreed?"

"Agreed."

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kise looked around the room the seven of them had gotten. It was pretty big an easily able to hold the seven of them. There were three bedrooms all with king-size beds. There was only one bathroom, but it had an enormous ground tub so that was alright. Then there was the living room that had three couches and a small coffee table. There was a lot of books both of educational kind - bleh– and of fictional kind –less bleh, but still bleh - and then there was the dining room with a table fit for 10 people. All the rooms were in baroque style. As decorations there were several vases, paintings and mirrors.

They didn't seem to be placed in the guest wing though seeing the lack of people in the hallways. Puh, he had wanted to make new friends. When they had asked the guards they had said that the wing was inhabited though. He looked up bored when he heard the door open, but perked up when he saw that it was Aominecchi. He jumped up and threw himself at the other person.

"Aominecchi! Let's go explore ~ "

"Kise! I'm busy."

"But –"

They both stilled when they heard soft breathing and a steady heartbeat pass the door of their room.

They waited for a moment to see if it would return, but it didn't. The owner of the heart causing the heartbeat kept moving away from them and thus widening the distance.

"Do you think it's the other habitant of this wing?" Kise whispered in the ear of Aomine who silently nodded at his question.

"I wanna meet him!" Kise suddenly shouted before running out . Aomine cursed before following him. When they found the human he was standing in the courtyard. He had brilliant blue hair and a petite body build though not exactly an effeminate one either. Aomine betted that he was around 166-170cm. The blue haired boy sat down in front of a small pool of water in lotus position closing his eyes. They continued looking at the boy for a minute before deciding that he was probably just relaxing. Then, slowly, as the boy's eyes opened, the water of the small pool started spreading bit by bit until it formed a perfect circle around the boy. When the boy had his eyes opened completely, the water shot up, forming a dome around the boy.

Small tendrils of water appeared from the dome and started touching the boy, caressing him, loving him even. While in the beginning the water had seemed to concentrate mainly on his hands and his face once one of the tendrils touched his back they seemed to concentrate on the boy's back. Aomine tried to remember if he had ever seen water interact with a person like this before, but he was pretty sure he hadn't. From what he remembered of the element it was most of the time very calm, but when angered enough it could cause some of the worst natural disasters. Like tsunamis. More often than not it was a very neutral yet kind element, but the manner in which the water moved with portrayed more than a neutral kindness. The water made protective and even slightly possessive movements towards the boy. It utterly adored him.

The Tengu shuddered. He remembered demons whose elements had the same reaction towards them. In fact he was living with one of them. Yet this person was obviously a human otherwise his heart wouldn't be beating. The demons whose elements reacted like that towards them were most of the time utterly terrifying. Then again this human's emotions weren't quite right either now that he observed them from closer up. There was hatred, bitterness and the slightest hint of pain though it seemed to grow weaker by the second. The water was soothing the pain. The back must have been injured. He wondered what was the cause. He knew that the water couldn't heal the boy.

Slowly the water started to withdraw. Almost hesitantly.

And then the boy's head suddenly whipped around his gaze locking on them.

"This wing is forbidden for guests unless invited in by me and since shortly Mukuro ." Were the first words that came out of the boy's lips before taking a breath. Then continued.

"But as we have an agreement to inform each other if we invite someone I know that he didn't invite you. So who are you?"

Aomine looked at Kise, cursing the idiot. Why did he need to storm after somebody they didn't even know? Kise however just grinned.

"We were assigned to this wing by the Emperor. He said we could stay here as long as we like. I'm Kise and the idiot over there is Aominecchi."

"It's Aomine you idiot!"

"I see, the Emperor did." The boy said with bitterness in his eyes. Then he looked up taking their forms in.

"Does the council know of your arrival?" Kise cocked his head at the question his finger on chin in a thoughtful way.

"No, I don't think so."

"Then he had no such right as to assign you my wing or even receive you. Not that I'm throwing you out. The emperor wouldn't put people he liked in my wing. No, you're most likely here because he doesn't want other people to see you." The boy said now, a knowing look in his eyes.

"And who are you to say what the emperor can and can't do?" Kise asked with his eyebrows shooting his hairline in.

"His wife's son."

Kise's mouth formed an o. The guards had spoken with great reverence and respect in their tones about the other inhabitant of their wing, but the emperor had been absolutely hateful about the very same person. Strange.

The cautious voice that had just addressed them changed into a melodious and soft one.

"Kom hier Schnee (meant in the german way. Means snow)." From out of nowhere a snow owl appeared.

"Geef Hikuza Kana een bericht van leader, the emperor has decided to shelter an unknown amount of guests without your knowledge. This is not in his power and while I do not mind lending my wing to the guests I do happen to mind that I have not been asked nor informed about this. I trust you to handle the issue."

The owl rose from the arm it had been perched on and flew away towards the labyrinth of hallways within the palace.

Kuroko suddenly smiled at them. "Now that that issue is out of the way, any of you want to spar?

Aomine looked up surprised at the sudden change in attitude. His tone however spoke of confidence.

"Sure, ready to be beaten into the ground, pretty boy?"

Kuroko just nodded . "If you are then so am I. Weapon spar?"

Aomine shrugged.

"Sure. I'm using a sword."

The boy hummed. "I'll be using daggers."

A few minutes later…

Swiftly Kuroko dodged a sword slash aimed at his head. He might have bitten of a tad more than he could chew when he had asked the other to duel. Not that he had known that at that moment and it was pretty fun finally fighting against an opponent who challenged him.

He however couldn't dodge the kick in the chest making him land rather harshly. A hiss escaped him as for a fraction of a second the pain in his back flared to life. He quickly rolled to the side when he heard an object whipping through the air, happy to have done so when he saw the sword impaled in the ground he had been laying on a second ago. Almost instinctively he swiped with one of his legs at Aomine's, making the man lose his balance. He rolled until he was straddling the other his waist, his dagger right above the heart of the other.

"I would think you lose?" Aomine smirked up at him.

"You truly believe so?" Before Kuroko could even nod the other had with unimaginable speed grabbed his wrist switched their positions and the dagger that had just a minute ago been pointing at Aomine's heart was now pointing at his own throat. Kuroko laughed. It was an honest laugh, free of all his worries.

"I give."

Aomine looked to be about to say something when he was interrupted by a cold, soft voice.

"What is going here?"

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cesare Borgia had just come back from a long discussion with his father. His father wanted to continue to lightly pressure the emperor from the Hideaki Empire into giving them permittance to meet Lucrezia's son. Kuroko Tetsuya. Cesare was of opinion that they had used that tactic for long enough and that they shouldn't request anymore but demand. Their infiltrator had continued giving them information about the boy's personality and other things though she seemed to be having a hard time because of the fact that the boy did not enjoy the presence of most people in court. Nonetheless they received a report about the boy each week. It seemed the Emperor suffered from occasional episodes where he would hurt people. His most frequent victim being Tetsuya. It disturbed him that the son of his sister, who he had loved so much, was being abused.

From what they had been told the boy had a lot of Lucrezia's personality. Sweet, but with an undeniable edge to him.

He looked at the picture they had been sent. The boy was beautiful. The picture had been taken on a day where he had completely recovered from any beatings which he may have gotten. He looked almost the exact same as her. Except for the undeniable blue hair and eyes. He had her pearly white skin and soft pink lips.


	3. Chapter 3

Kuroko and Aomine both looked up to see a red headed boy with heterochromatic eyes. One golden, one red. Why was he suddenly meeting so many people with heterochromia? It's supposed to be rare. The boy seemed to be as tall as him. Maybe a bit taller. The heterochromia didn't seem to be the only thing the stranger had in common with Mukuro. He had the same icy demeanor which made Kuroko wary. Behind the stranger stood two other people one smiling friendly and the other having something similar to a scowl on his face. The one with the smile was quite tall, his half-long hair was chestnut brown along with his rather thick eyebrows. His eyes were a darker chocolate-brown. The thing that Kuroko found the most noticeable though were his large hands which were so big that one of them would easily be able to cover both of his hands. The similar-to-a-scowl one had dark green hair and bright green eyes, the color leaves had in the spring. Those spring leaves were hidden away behind black framed glasses. He seemed to be as tall as the other if not a bit taller. Both were lean in build and rather well-muscled. It also didn't escape Kuroko that their muscles were tensed as if prepared for a fight. Only the tall ones though. Why hadn't he seen that sooner?

Kise laughed a bubbly laugh. Kuroko had the feeling that it was the only type of laugh Kise knew but didn't make any comment about it as the sound of it seemed to have relaxed the two taller boys.

"Midorimacchi! Kiyoshicchi! Akashi!." Kuroko noticed that the blond didn't add any -cchi to the Akashi name. Akashi was probably the redhead as the boy nodded when that name was called.

"Kise, Aomine." The boy said nodding to them before turning his attention on Kuroko. "Who is your ...friend?"

Kise grinned and bounced over to the blue haired boy, pulling the small boy's back easily into his own chest, letting his head rest on the other's head.

"This is Kuroko Tetsuya. He's the other inhabitant of the wing we're staying in." Akashi's eyes narrowed in interest.

"Kuroko? Isn't that the imperial family's name?" The blue haired boy grimaced before nodding.

"Then why would your back be in shreds? Kise, are you sure you didn't let yourself be fooled?"Akashi asked knowing that it wasn't possible to fool Kise. Still,it was rather unbelievable that the throne prince would be mistreated like this. Kise pouted in response to his question, but nodded enthusiastically anyway while pulling the blue haired boy closer to him in a suffocating hug. Surprisingly enough the mortal's reaction to a body being pushed into his more than likely painful wounds was minimal. A barely audible, to a human that is, moan escaped the boy's mouth.

Kuroko thanked the water sprites for having dulled most of the pain in his wounds. He couldn't imagine what his reaction would have been had he been able to feel the pain fully. It was now already more than painful enough. Kuroko pulled free of Kise with surprisingly much strength for his small body.

"I am not obliged to make you feel that my words are not a lie. If you choose to believe that I lie then that's fine. If you choose to believe that I am not lying than at least you have proved yourself to have a small amount of brains." He said feeling annoyed that someone would believe that he would lie over something as silly as his identity. In his own wing no less!

He turned his head to Aomine and Kise not trusting the newcomers enough to turn his back on them. "It was a pleasure to meet you. I hope that you'll enjoy your stay in my wing. Aomine if you ever find yourself willing to spar again with me then please just tell one of the guards and they shall inform me. If you prefer a more personal approach than you can always try to find me in my room. If I'm not there then most probably Mukuro will be there."

Kise smiled and Aomine just nodded feeling slightly unnerved by the tense atmosphere that was in the air. Kuroko turned away from them and gave the three newcomers a cold nod before taking off.

Akashi turned with narrowed eyes to Kise and Aomine. "Who is he?"

Aomine and Kise swallowed. Pissed off Akashi.

Aaaaaah,shit.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The emperor looked out the window. As far as the eye could reach he saw the capital city. A well faring city with a surprisingly low amount of crime, beggars and invalid people. An example of how a good city should be to all the surroundings countries. Not to the surrounding cities since those as well were almost perfect. Whenever he felt regret for his choices in life he looked out of this window. It gave a large view of the city. The warmth and happiness that were in the city made him feel better about those choices. Because no matter how horrible those choices had been the result was the greatness of his empire. The suffering of a few for the happiness of millions. He regretted the deal. Yet at times doubt seeped through. Had he actually been right? The contract had done the empire so much good. Maybe he was wrong, but it didn't matter . He wouldn't be able to change the deal anymore, even if he'd wanted to. He wanted too. There was little to be done about past choices so instead he spent most of the time where he was aware of himself thinking of how things could have been if he had never listened to his parents. If he had let sleeping lions lie. The sun was slowly lowering giving more and more land to the shadows. The shadows that in fact made sure that the Empire was as great as it was. Blood magic. So called dark magic. Not necessarily really. The Blood magic that was used for the Empire however, was darker as night could ever hope to be. The emperor's eyes trailed over the buildings of the capital which were seemingly glowing crescent in the last sunlight. Normally he should have made the last sacrifice a few years ago. He hadn't. Couldn't.

His eyes closed painfully. Slowly he stood from his chair by the window and moved over the thick carpet his feet seemed to be drowning in.

His feet carried him to his bureau were a marriage proposal lay innocently on his desk. He would have liked to avoid this, but he knew he couldn't. It was time for him to have a new empress.

He had surprised himself by deciding to choose his consort as marriage partner. He knew the council wouldn't throw too much of a tantrum about it. While they would prefer someone from another kingdom or empire they wouldn't be bothered by his choice too much since she was from an old noble family. A raven appeared next to him. He gently gave it the letter being careful of its sharp-looking talons. Go Raiden. Go and bring him good news.

The raven disappeared again.

Now to more important problems. What was he going to with those demons? He knew he couldn't just throw them out. And he hadn't paid his part of the deal yet.

He had heard the reports from his guards that the demons had shown an interest in his son. He hoped that his son wasn't as stupid as take interest in them. He remembered when he himself had been young. The demons had been so very attractive. Their personalities all clashing. He had been intrigued. He had ended up falling in love with them. They hadn't hesitated to crush his heart with a smile on their faces. He didn't have any need for a broken heir. He looked at his wife's picture. The first sacrifice. The mother to his only son. He wanted to smile at her memory but it was tainted by that of her death. It had been hard to sacrifice the woman in such a bloody way, a death caused by violence was requested as sacrifice, but he hadn't had a choice. He was sure that she would have agreed with him if she had known. A small voice in his head asked him why he hadn't just told her then.

He made it shut up. After all he was always right.

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Steam collected itself in the bathroom caused by the obviously very hot water. Kuroko slipped into the water ignoring the burn as he knew that the water would soon enough cool itself down as not to cause him harm. He did not really understand the reason water reacted to him as it did. He knew that it just did. When his mother had died it had rained heavily for weeks until the sky slowly started clearing up as his emotions did. Water reacted to his emotions but also reacted with its own. Whenever he was injured severely the rivers would overflow their borders taking down several cities with its anger. When he had first found out the water's adoration of him he had been terribly afraid. Villages were wiped right from the map simply because he took longer to recover from his injuries than normally. As his mother had died, his grandmother busy was with the funeral and his father starting to distance himself, the water had been his solid companion. When he was sad the water would notice and cheer him up. He looked down at the steaming water scented with lavender and some spices. He then noticed Mukuro's reflection on the water surface. He had forgotten about the boy. The water wasn't scalding hot anymore and he raised his arm invitingly to the boy.

Mukuro looked down at the prince who was reaching his hand out to him invitingly. Slowly he moved into the water half expecting to be burned even though he himself had witnessed how the water had suddenly let out a lot of steam when the prince had entered the water almost as if someone had thrown ice-cold water in the burning hot water.

Not for the first time Mukuro wondered if the prince had a gift unknown to everyone else. He walked to the underwater benches, placing himself inappropriately close to the other. The physically older boy showed no reaction to this. Suddenly water streamed down over his head leaving him gasping. What? Where?! The water disappeared and in his view appeared a Kuroko who had turned to him, smiling gently.

"Sorry, I should have warned you for the water." Kuroko's hair, Mukuro now noticed, was also wet.

"Turn around." Before Mukuro could respond he was turned around by Kuroko. He noticed his body was pulled against Kuroko's cold chest.

"Close your eyes." Was the only warning he got before he felt hands massaging his scalp with soap. The soap smelled of mint and a few other spices. He felt that it strangely fitted him and Kuroko was quite gentle yet thorough with working the soap in so he decided not to object. Not that he liked the feeling or anything. Apparently Kuroko was satisfied with the way the soap had worked in because once again water streamed over his head. For a moment he felt thankful that he had obeyed the other boy's order. When the soap was completely out of his hair he was allowed to open his eyes once again. Carefully a cream was spread over his head but apparently this one didn't need to be washed out. He looked at the water watching Kuroko's reflection as he massaged the it in. The boy's face had a very soft smile on his face while his mind seemed to be wandering to other subjects. When the teal haired boy was finally done he turned around again.

Then he noticed something he hadn't noticed before. Well, he had, but not clearly and thus had decided to not chase the subject, ending up forgetting it. While not clearly visible there still were some rather obvious cuts and bruises that were doing a good job at littering the other's body. He recognized the way some of the bruises seemed to disappear in the light as magic. Concealing magic. It would have worked fine with any other person. He wasn't any other person. He was Mukuro Rokudo. The best there was in illusion and some other kinds of magic. A concealing charm belonged to the illusion category. He was able to see through at this distance quite easily. He was surprised he hadn't noticed it before. He had been living with the prince now for a few days after all and these bruises were already starting to become a very ugly green. Which meant that Kuroko either was a genius at magic or had used this spell so much that it had become almost perfect. For some reason he suspected both. Or maybe he just knew magicians who liked money. Always a possibility.

When the other turned around to reach for his own soap Mukuro almost had to stifle a gasp at the shredded back. Of course, he was Mukuro Rokudo he didn't do things such as gasping. He only chuckled. Any other person than him would have to stifle a gasp back. But he repeated. Not him.

The back carried countless scars. Mukuro had seen enough in the six hells to know that those didn't come to be by falling. These were marks of whiplashes, caning, knives, but not of falling like most abuse victims loved to tell everyone. Kuroko had never told him he fell. No, he had decided he'd rather not say anything at all. Mukuro was seething. How the hell was he supposed to possess an abused victim. Those most of the time either wanted to commit suicide and thus were slowly ripping apart their own soul. However unfortunate it might be to possess a living being it needed to have a complete soul. If not suicidal abuse victims had a very strong will once again leaving it impossible to possess them as they often could easily will any unwanted thoughts out their minds, the same happening to their possessor. He was going to kill the person that had made sure he couldn't possess such an influential person. A small part of him said that wasn't the only reason he was angry. That he was also angry because a person that had been so kind to him was being treated this way. Naturally he ignored that part.

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Momoi explored the palace holding back a sigh. Every month or so her father would take her with him to court to show her off almost like a breed horse to potential suitors. Mind him with potential suitors he actually meant the prince. It had started after her father took her once to court when she and Kuroko had been six. Her father had let her roam free as he needed to attend his meeting and he could hardly drag her with him. He had told her to stay in the place she had been left and that soon a servant would come find her and keep an eye on her. She however had always been a bit on the adventurous side and as soon as her father had rounded the corridor had taken off exploring. At one moment she had stumbled upon an inner garden. At that moment she had wondered how it was possible that there were so little people when before at least three people had been in every hallway. Later she would discover that it was because the place she had so carelessly entered had been the strictly forbidden entrance of the private wing of the prince. The garden had been full of all kind of plants, a few she recognized with the little amount of education for her future job as a healer as poisons her mother had given her. In the inner part of the garden a large part had been left open with two fountains to the East and the West and between the two of them an undeep, but large round lower level platform filled with water. In the middle of that platform she had for the first time seen the prince. Not that she had known at the time. The boy had his back turned to her and his back had been moving with what had to be silent laughter.

For some reason she had felt angry at that. Here she was being dragged around by her father to boring places, ending up getting lost and there that boy was enjoying his time. It just wasn't fair! She had angrily strode forward grabbing the boy's shoulder and felt him stiffen under her. Though the laughing seemed to worsen as his body shook worse. What kind of idiot laughed at nothing she remembered thinking snidely.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ignore the mistakes.

Cesare walked smoothly the robes billowing around him as he strode past the corner confidently. Almost as if he was in his very own palace. He wasn't. He was in what most people would consider enemy territory. The Hideaki Palace. To the guards it was quite strange to see an unfamiliar face stride purposeful through the halls. Almost as if he knew where he was going. The Hideaki palace was built to impress, but it was also built to confuse. Like a maze hallways would cross each other then part again. There were dead ends, false hallways, illusions. Really, all kinds of stuff which caused even those most trusted with the palace to get lost now and then. But this man that they had never seen before in the palace strode as confidently through the halls as the royal family did. But after the man had given the guards a cold stare they decided to mind their own business. For now.

The brown-haired man was smiling. His teeth were pearl white and he seemed truly friendly. That was the word though. Seemed. When you looked closer one would notice the dangerous look his eyes held, the way his graceful movement were made with the grace acquired on a battlefield, a certain corner of his lips lifted, giving his smile a viscous vibe. Servants moved out the way for him as did other lords of the court. They were not crazy. This man wasn't here to ask favors and make friends. This man was here to demand and if necessary for his goal make enemies. He wasn't here to play. Not like they were. Sure he was in a way there to play. But a different game. A more bloody one.

And thus when a blond-haired woman made her way around the corner and bumped into the man everyone around them flinched in fear of the reaction that the stranger would. The blond-haired woman however ,who they now recognized as the consort, looked up and her eyes widened in surprise.

"Borgia Cesare, may I require inquire as to what you are doing here?" She said lowering her body into a gracious bow. You just bowed for Imperial princes. No matter what empire they were from.

The surrounding people gasped for breath. Cesare Borgia? She couldn't possibly mean the heir to the Empire they were at the brink of war with? Right? Right...

Borgia Cesare kept that same ferocious look in his eyes as he looked at her almost as if wondering whether or not she was worth his answer. Finally answering, his right hand tightening into a fist, something only Alexandria had noticed as she had been looking for it. "I'm here to renew the trading contract between the Borgia and Hideaki empires."

Alexandra look up between eyelashes. "Do you want me to assist you in anything?" The prince shook his head.

"I'm familiar with the palace's lay-out." A lie but it was true that he would be able to find his way around. Through magic that is. The Imperial consort bowed again before leaving as if nothing had happened, her head raised high as she strode down the hallway. Cesare shook his head. At least that one was still the same. He ignored the observers and continued following the trail of magic that only he (and other blood relatives) could see leading to the closest living blood relative. Who could that possibly be?

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Momoi looked as the infamous Borgia heir strode away shaking her head. The man seemed to be exactly as the rumors had described him. Vicious. She would have liked to say that she couldn't possibly understand how Kuroko was related to that man but unfortunately enough she could understand. While most of the time the epitome of serene and calmness Kuroko could be frighteningly cruel if he wished so. He had witnessed and ordered tortures before. Even carried out one himself when someone had tried to rape her. Her eyes softened. He may be vicious but he was so with reason. The court was a hard and cruel place to grow up especially without any parent to protect you. If Kuroko wasn't the way he was he would have been poisoned or kidnapped. Anyone that showed even an hint of wanting to do so disappeared swiftly. As if by magic.

She continued walking to Kuroko's wing. The hallways becoming more cramped and darker as she left the main wing. Her hair swirled slightly with every turn she took. The palace's lay out was as confusing as that of a maze. Even now she sometimes still got lost. Though after a while Kuroko's familiar would always find her. A black as night raven that seemed to enjoy tormenting her. Thinking about what she would do as revenge for last time when the raven had left a present on her hair, she carelessly bumped into someone. The voice that she heard made her body turn into ice.

"My, my, Momoi what a surprise." She looked up at the yellow haired demon. Her eyes widened, instincts telling her to run. Run away as fast as her long legs would allow. Her mind supplied her with the information that she would only start a cat and mouse game. If the demon even saw her worthy enough for that. Otherwise she was just dead. Her muscles tensed as the other moved. What was he doing here? Where the others also here? Why? Who had summoned them? Then for the first time in a long time she caught a whiff of the phenomenons the demon released causing her lust to spike as her fear of the other increased even more ruling over whatever lust there could possibly be.

The demon smiled seductively at her.

"Momoi, so many questions spinning around in your pretty head. Wouldn't you rather do...other things?" He said his body leaning closer to her.

Momoi's resistance crumbled when he touched her, the very nature of his skin causing her lust to triple. Just when she was about to give in to the other a loud caw was heard through the dark hallway causing the demons concentration to slip away for just a second. A second was enough for Momoi. Hard she pushed the other away immediately weaving a magical shield around her body, core and soul. It was the only magic she excelled in. With good reason.

The raven that had released the caw looked at them his gaze scrutinizing from the post it had taken on one of the few lamps in the hallway. Its head jerked once in left direction pointing her to where Momoi had to go. Its gaze followed her until she had passed under the lamp it was sitting on. Then it dived in the direction of the demon. Kise stiffened immediately raising a shield around his body when he felt the magical energy around the raven's body. The raven however just hovered in front of his face its black as night eyes taking the others yellow eyes in before the eyes took in the other features the demon offered. Then its eyes looked back at those of Kise. What happened then made Kise eyes widen. The raven's eyes flashed shortly a light blue. Kise felt the tiniest bit of his magical aura being scooped up. This wasn't a random raven. This was a familiar. Which meant that the raven would bring the piece of aura and the memories of his face to whoever was its master. They could discover he was a demon. The familiar however seemed to already have realized. Kise pushed his magic to engulf the raven in hope that it would stop the raven from disappearing and jumped towards it. Unfortunately for him the raven seemed to be immune to his magic.

It quickly backed away from him, releasing what sounded like a warning caw before immediately dissolving into thin air, a few black feathers falling to the ground. Kise cursed softly but figured that at least the raven had been in enough of a panic to not disappear completely and leave a few feathers behind. Which meant that with some help of Haizaki he would be able to track the master of the familiar down. He just hoped that Aomine wouldn't find out. He would be annoyed if he found out that they were tracking down a raven master. For some reason whenever a raven was involved Aomine was convinced that it couldn't be anything bad. Stupid bird demon. Finally the sound of a soft heartbeat reached his ears. He hadn't heard it before, being distracted as he was but now he could. His head snapped up, his eyes meeting those of a young child. It only took a moment before he saw the magic convulsing around the boy and just as he was about to see the other's real form the kid disappeared. The face of the child however was familiar.

Mukuro looked as the pink-haired woman ran past him. She didn't see him; he'd made sure of that. He didn't need random women knowing that he was there, no matter how close friends those women might be with the prince. He hadn't gotten the title of world's best illusionist for no reason. His gaze returned to the black bird, his eye recognizing the magical signature of the master of the raven. Why, it was his very own prince. Which probably meant that the prince was the one who cast the illusions and not some overpaid magician. Putting that matter aside for a moment he let his eyes glide over the demon. What was a higher level demon doing here? They didn't just appear for the fun of it. If they were here that meant that either they were fulfilling a contract or that they were reaping their reward for completing one. One thing was sure; someone had made a deal with a demon. When suddenly the demon looked him right in the eye he cursed inwardly, transporting as fast as his magic would allow. Pretty fast. If he may say so.

He appeared back in the prince's bedroom. A sigh of relief escaped his lips. He had spent enough time in hell to know that demons weren't nice. And while it was most of the time the lower level demons who tore around causing mindless destruction the higher level were all the more dangerous ; Simply because they thought before they acted. The need however to cause despair remained the same amount in the higher levels as in the lower levels. The bigger fish just went better about it. He hoped that the demon hadn't seen him long enough to realize that the child form was in fact a fake one. That everything was just an illusion. An incredible strong one but still an illusion. If the demon liked his contractor well enough or at least playing around with him/her than that contractor might receive information about his real appearance. So it would be best for him and all those involved if the demon didn't know his real form. Not to mention that if the demon recognized him from hell he might wonder how he came to be here. He didn't need anyone to know that he had free access to hell. Not that he had enjoyed that ability when he was younger. You learned a lot in hell. Magic of all kinds. Well, all dark and some neutral kinds. Politics, manipulation, seduction and simply how to survive. With all that he had learned in hell he had become a powerful individual

In the real world but also in hell itself which was why he feared that the demon would recognize him. He had recognized the blond. Kise Ryouta, belonging to a group of seven. The blond was among the stronger level demons in the higher class. Not quite royal but powerful enough to have a lot influence in the way hell was ruled. The blond and his group were highly respected for not only the pure blood flowing through their veins but also for the amount of influence, power and intelligence they held. Mukuro as a person who had often been invited to parties because of his own position had seen them several times. Some of the group enjoying the party, one blackmailing the guests, one securing his meal for the evening and the rest being bored to death by others who were trying to get into the grace of the influential group. He himself had gotten the chance to talk to three of them. Unlike others they had come to him and not the other way around. He had met the apparent leader of the group and the blond he had just fled from. The leader had just wanted to make another powerful connection. Something he had succeeded in. The blond however had come to him out of sheer curiosity, not being able to understand that a human could have more powerful magic than a demon. When Mukuro had been unwilling to disclose anything about his illusions the blond had left him alone, but not before flirting some more with him. Mukuro had then decided to leave* (read*: escape).

He had, after all, a reputation to maintain.

Then his mind finally came to another important question. Who had summoned the blond? Where the others also here? And for what had the blond been summoned? One part of his mind continued to make questions while another continued to try and make up answers for them. The last part failed miserably.

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Kuroko looked up from the painting he had just finished when he heard soft footsteps becoming louder as they neared his chambers. Carefully he washed his paint brush out not wanting to have the brush in a bad condition later from having the thick paint dried into it. Once he was sure the paint had been completely washed out he put the brush down on the table. Gracefully he walked towards the living room of his chambers. There, waiting patiently sat the only father figure he'd had after his father had become as he was. Kagami Osami. Just as his son he donned the red hair look. He was looking down at his feet when Kuroko entered silently, quickly looking up when he heard Kuroko placing himself in the couch opposite to him. He smiled softly at the blue haired boy. The boy looked tired but obviously not in the worst condition Osami had seen him.

"I heard from Taiga that you adopted a child." Kuroko nodded silently knowing that Kagami would already have told his father all the details. Almost uncertainly Osami then asked him "You offered him stay in your rooms?" Kuroko tensed knowing that the other would most likely disapprove of his choice. In a soft voice he answered. "Yes."

Osami observed the boy in front of him. His posture was tense as if to flee on the first sign of hostility. He wasn't sure what he felt knowing that he was inspiring this reaction in the boy. A sigh left his lips.

"I don't agree with your choice. It doesn't mean I'm going to strike you. I'm not your father. Still, it was foolish and dangerous. I will get rid of the boy. What if the child had been a spy or an assassin? " He questioned the prince. He was considering letting the kid be assassinated. He couldn't allow a possible threat like that to be right next to the prince.

For a short moment the prince was silent. Softly he answered. "Then he wouldn't be alive anymore." There was a warning audible in his voice. The prince knew what he was thinking. Submissively he bowed his head. "Of course, my prince." Formality had taken it's place between the two of them as always happened when one of the two displeased the other. This time it seemed it was him who was in the wrong.

"Tetsuya." A soft voice spoke up from the door opening. Both men lifted their head in the direction the voice had come. Kuroko already knowing the voice reached an arm out inviting the other to join them.


	5. Chapter 5

Kuroko sighed. Once Osami had left so had Mukuro to take a bath. They had left him with a pounding headache however. Never had he heard so many carefully hidden barbs and insults than in those few minutes and since he was someone who grew up in the court that meant a lot. At the end he had ordered Osami to leave the room. He hadn't actually thought it was possible to utter so many insults in so little time. To hear the insult being thrown from one side to the other no matter how carefully hidden was maddening. He had been furious at Osami for daring to insult a young child in such ways but had been just as angry with Mukuro because he had actually responded in like. He knew well enough that a normal child wouldn't have noticed the insults which meant that Mukuro should also have been smart enough to ignore the insults. Apparently he hadn't been. By the end of the conversation -if you could call it that- Osami had looked ready to rip the others head off while Mukuro had looked the same as always. He had the strange urge to bang his head against the wall but wisely decided to ignore it. In the end it would only worsen his headache even if it might relieve a bit of his frustration. Slowly he rose. Might as well go on a walk then.

He left the room soundlessly. As one of the royal family he knew all the in and outs of the palace's lay out. Which also meant that he knew all the secret hallways and rooms. This allowed him to travel a lot faster around the palace as others so it wasn't a surprise when only a few minutes later he was standing before the open baths. He loved them. The open baths were actually a sort of public baths, but were called the open baths because half of them were located outside in the open surrounded by a tropical and beautiful garden. Since it was now in the middle of the winter almost nobody came. The gardens had sustained their beauty though since the warm-season flowers had made place for winter flowers which were coated in small layer of snow. The trees now empty of leaves had become a popular place for small fairies to gather and play. All colors of soft light zoomed around the garden as the fairies executed one of their many games, dances and races.

A smile appeared at the feeling of a swell of magic. He recognized the magic. How could he not? At the sight of his familiar he outstretched his hand towards the beautiful raven. The raven dived for what seemed to be his shoulder. It didn't however slow down to land on it, if anything its speed only increased. When looking closer the raven was aiming lower than the shoulder. The graceful black feathered bird dived right into his chest leaving behind a few blue sparks and black feathers. Both remains disappeared before they could have touched the ground. Kuroko didn't notice though. In fact he wasn't even seeing his surroundings. He was seeing blonde hair, golden eyes flashing as their pupils changed to vertical slits and a softly golden glowing aura surrounding Kise Ryouta. He tasted the aura on his tongue his skin tingling with the feel of it. It was sexually loaded. Seducing him, capturing his attention and interest. No human could produce such an aura. What was the golden haired man?

'Demon...' He heard his much older familiar whisper into his mind. For a moment Kuroko felt himself chained to the ground. Demons? Then he regained his posture. Of course. He thought glaring at the ground. Why wouldn't he be? 'He's an incubus...a sex demon. Be careful, they can drain your life energy just as easily as they can drain your sexual energy. Be wary of his companions...They are more than likely also demons...They have come to reap the reward of the contract they have fulfilled. Beware...' The raspy voice of his familiar warned him.

'Itzal.' He said softly in the space of his mind calling the attention of his familiar to him. ' How do you know they have completed the contract?' He questioned the spirit holding residence in his core. 'The aura of the Incubus is too full and content for anything else. If they were here to complete their part of the contract the aura would have more of a longing, empty feeling. Whenever a demon enters a contract a small part of their aura disappears to bind them with their contractor.'

'When the demon has completed his part of the contract the magic in the aura marks the human and binds them until they complete their part of the contract. The demon will always be able to find the human they marked in case the human should refuse to pay their debt. When such thing happens the demon shall extract punishment in any way they see fitting more often than not resulting in complete extermination of the human and their surroundings. Most humans however refuse to carry their debt long enough for such thing to ever happen. The mark taints the soul of the bearer in such a way that even the most kind-hearted can change into the most horrible person ever seen if he bore the mark long enough. The demon also isn't here just because he feels like being here. Higher-level demons rarely stay longer than a day in the human realm. They only ever bother to complete a contract or to receive their reward.'

For a moment Kuroko kept silent letting his brain filter the information. As he slipped out of his clothes he thought about what Itzal had said. If the raven was right then that would mean that there had been a contract. He wondered what it could possibly have entailed. Who was the contractor? And what could possible be difficult enough to require the power of seven higher-level demons? What had the demons chosen as their reward? Obviously the demons had a contract with someone of the court. He froze. Who had been the one that had ordered the demons to stay in his wing? His father. His father was the contractor. There was no other explanations. Kuroko felt stupid for not having figured it out sooner. Slowly he lowered himself into the water. Steam rose as the water changed itself to his ideal temperature.

"I see you inherited more than just your lips from our side of the family..."

Slowly Kuroko turned around his eyes meeting the blood red eyes of one Cesare Borgia.

"What are you doing here?"

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"Neee, Haizaki...I kinda need your help." Haizaki just clacked his tongue and read on in the book he was reading while throwing one leg over another from his comfortable position on his bed.

"When do you not need it?" Kise's eyes narrowed. He really couldn't waste any time. Every second was another second the human could realize that he was a demon. Then there'd be pesky demon hunters out for their asses. Imagine what Akashi would do to him if he found out. He always found out. Kise pouted. "Mou...This is really important." Apparently something in his tone had betrayed his urgency because suddenly Haizaki was towering over him pushing him down on the bed while his eyes narrowed. "What did you do?"

Kise looked away. Haizaki growled as he forcefully grabbed Kise's chin turning the other's head so he was looking at him again. "What. Did. You. Do?"

Hesitantly Kise looked into the other's eyes. Those had changed to betray the true nature of their owner. Dark gray eyes had turned to a light silver, the pupils changing to look much like those of a snake would. Haizaki was pissed at him. Trying to placate the other he submissively bared his throat. "A familiar took a small amount of my magical aura and managed to get away." The soft words sounded loudly in the otherwise quiet room. Feeling slightly nervous he continued. "I was able to get a feather of the familiar so you should able to track it to the owner. We can take care of them then."

"Indeed we can." Said a cold voice from the doorway to the shared living room.

Both Haizaki and Kise stiffened. Footsteps were heard as the redhead closed in on the bed.

"Give me the feather Ryota." Akashi's soft yet clear voice ordered. Both Haizaki and Kise scrambled to get up at the tone in his voice. Kise handed over the feather hoping that the day would end in a light punishment and nothing too heavy.

Akashi gracefully accepted the feather and brought it to his nose which twitched shortly. "The master of the familiar isn't a full-blooded human. There's human blood but also something else. Whatever it is it has yet to hit its coming of age. The magical aura isn't fully matured yet. It's powerful though." Akashi looked at Kise. "You sure know how to make your enemies. At least the magical blood isn't that of a demon."

Kise's eyes widened. Creature blood. How come they hadn't sensed that before? Sure, the kid apparently wasn't fully matured yet so that would make the aura slightly weaker but still they had 2 demons in their group who had great senses. Unless their powers were protecting them. If the power was of such a nature that it could have a personality an it cared for them than the power might be capable of shielding the person. That or the owner of the magical aura was using a lot of illusion magic causing for them to lose much of their scent.

The fact that whoever it was had creature blood did make things more difficult though. If they were lucky it would be a creature like a vampire or werewolf which were easily recreated causing no to care for it's death as long as they weren't older than 500 years. If it was however rarer and more powerful creature blood they might be in trouble. Higher level creatures automatically cleansed any human blood out of their body with the coming of age resulting in anyone with activated higher level creature blood to become a full fledged pure blooded creature even if the blood was of more than 5 generations ago. You just had to have a large enough amount of magical power to activate the gene.

It was rare for anyone to have enough magical power for that though. If they did they would be immensely powerful even among other demons and magical creatures once the coming of age had passed. Before that they would be as strong as the average creature/demon. Because the fact that you would be killing a powerful full fledged creature it was heavily frowned upon to kill anyone with the activated gene and the punishments for it were incredibly heavy even for demons of their standing. He supposed Akashi was right though. Those with creature blood were often a bit quicker to smile serenely and listen than demons who in comparison would kill at their first feeling of mistrust. Plus a lot of humanoid creatures liked sex. Hmmm, maybe there was something good about this whole thing.

Still if it weren't for the fact that he was a demon Kise would pray that the creature blood was either that of a common or from a weak one so that they could just go and kill whoever it was. He had the foreboding feeling that he wouldn't have that much luck though.

"Ryota, let's go."

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"Finding my nephew." Cesare answered pleasantly. Kuroko swallowed. He'd been waiting so long to meet his other family but now that he was standing face to face with one of them he was speechless.

"At first glance one would say that you are a carbon copy of your father simply because of the hair. When one look closer though they would notice that you share more traits with your mother than you do with your father. The shape of your head, your lips, your skin, your nose and the shape of your eyes, they're all hers. Your small delicate yet lithe body is also something your mother possessed. I wonder if you can run as fast as she could. Do you have her wits? Are you as sweet as an apple and as poisonous as an adder like she was? I wonder..."

His relative's eyes were on him but they weren't seeing him. Was the man seeing his sister?

"Were you close to her, Cesare Borgia?"

His...uncle snapped right back to attention at the question.

"...I was. She loved you very much. When you were small and we were still allowed to see you she would always boast about you while holding you in her arms as if you were her most important treasure. I used to be jealous of you. Whenever you were in the same room as her you were the only one who she would and could pay attention. Though later I understood it was simply a mother's love for her child. I realized that she held you in her arms like you were her most important treasure because you were. Strangely enough that knowledge banished any jealously I might have had from my mind. Call me uncle."

Kuroko was silent. He had never doubted his mother's love for him but had never really heard anyone say that his mother loved him after she had died. It felt nice to hear those words from someone he knew his mother had been close to. Then he remembered what his relative had first said when Kuroko saw him.

"What did you mean when you said that I inherited more than alone my lips from the Borgia side of the Family?"

Cesare chuckled while he slipped out of his clothes. When he had done so he lowered himself into the baths and went to sit at an appropriate distance from his nephew. Just like with the teal-haired boy steam rose from the water as soon as he had touched it. It didn't escape Kuroko's notice. "Surely you didn't think that the reaction water has to us is normal, did you?"

Kuroko shook his head. He didn't.

"The Borgia is worldwide famous for two things, do you know what those are?"

Kuroko answered his soft voice sounding clear in the opening.

"It's viciousness and it's magical power." Cesare nodded at his answer. "Have you never wondered where that viciousness and magical power came from?"

Kuroko looked into the water at his reflection. He had. More than once he had asked his tutor where the magical power of the Borgia family came from. She had never been able to provide him with a satiable answer however. He had to admit that he had never wondered about the viciousness though. He had just assumed it to be their upbringing or something of the like.

"I trust you won't tell anyone else of this but the Borgia family has never had problems with marrying other species. Sirens, Vampires, Werewolves, Huldras, Lamia, you name it, we probably got it somewhere down the line. Your mother's mother and mine was a nymph. Our family was really happy when that marriage proposal was accepted. Nymphs are quite rare and powerful. So strong offspring was ensured. Both your mother and I were very powerful both in mind and in magical power. We weren't powerful enough to activate the creature gene but we were still powerful enough that once we came of age water reacted to us like it already does to you, probably a bit less since I suspect that you're not 17 yet. Are you?"

Kuroko shook his head wondering where this was all leading to. Cesare sighed he had suspected that the other hadn't quite hit the age of 17 yet. Yet the water already reacted to him. The creature gene was active in the boy.

"My birthday is within a few weeks." Cesare's head flew up at that.

"Then that means...You're soon coming of magical age." Kuroko just nodded.

"This might sound weird but on your birthday you're going to change species." Kuroko was halfway about to his nod when he heard what was being said. Then his eyebrows flew up.

"What?"

"You're becoming the first previously human male nymph in the century boy." For a moment Kuroko was silent. Then he asked. "Why the first male?" Cesare face-palmed Lucrezia also would have asked that sort of idiotic question.

"Males are rare with Nymphs. It's a mostly females specie."

"Oh."

Having listened to the whole conversation from where they were sitting behind a bush Kise finally commented.

"So we can't kill him." He said sounding strangely emotionless. Akashi shook his head.

"Since Nymphs are rare and powerful..." He droned on. Akashi nodded.

"Well...At least they like sex." Akashi stiffened. Kise's voice had suddenly gained back it's emotion.

"And they're beautiful even among creatures and demons." Akashi's head slowly moved to look at Kise.

"You know, maybe we should take him under our wing." Akashi just sighed not even finding the energy to be angry . Kise was hopeless.


	6. Chapter 6

Momoi moaned as she hit her head against the wall for the upteempth time. She was lost. Again. How could you get lost in the same place twice in less than 2 hours? She leaned against the wall allowing her body to slide down until she was sitting on the floor. If she was lucky maybe someone would pass by soon. Then again with her luck that person would be just as lost as her. Oh well. At least she would have some food then. A fork that had suddenly appeared in her hands gleamed.

For a moment she looked strangely at the fork before throwing it away. Her eyes closed, the inky blackness filling her eyes.

"89,99,100! I'm coming!" Sounded in the distance. Momoi giggled as she continued running. Ryota was it. They were playing hide and seek. It was her favorite game. Daiki, Shogo and Teppei preferred chase but since Atsushi, Shintaro -Well,really he hadn't wanted to play at all but Akashi forced him to choose - , Kise and Akashi had said that they chose whatever she wanted. She started to slow down her running as she recognized the tree with three horizontal stripes carved into it. She looked to the left and immediately she saw her favorite hiding place it was a real big tree but at the base it was hollow. Bushes hid the opening that led to her secret spot. She giggled as she crawled through the bushes. She settled herself against the back of the trunk drawing her knees up. She didn't notice the scratches the bushes had made on her skin. Nor did she notice how filthy and torn her dress had become. She laid her head down on her knees. Silently she started counting. For some reason Ryota always found her within 30 seconds . She didn't get why. She was sure that there was some reason but he always said some nonsense about her always choosing the same hiding spot. Surely that couldn't be the problem when she had a hiding spot as great as hers was.

'..,26,27,28,29,30" A face appeared as the bushes were pushed aside. "Found you!" Ryota smiled. Momoi pouted. "No fair!" The older boy kept smiling at her. "Mou, It can't be helped if you choose the same hiding place every time." Momoi looked sadly at her feet. Ryota had already carefully pulled her out the trunk of the tree. Indulgently Ryota smiled down at her. "If it makes you feel better you were the last one to be found." Momoi's head flew up and she gasped. Really? The others were always found after her. They were Hide-and-seek Geniuses! Did this mean that she was better than them now? Kise continued not noticing her thoughts. " Midorimacchi was trying camouflage, but to be honest the only one of us that can pull of camouflage is Murasakicchi, well, Akashicchi can too, but he can do anything so he doesn't count. Aominecchi and Haizakicchi got into a fight and were being pretty loud so I had no trouble finding them as well. Murasakicchi found wild strawberries and decided to forego the game and just eat and Kiyoshicchi and Akashicchi...Well, let's just say they were doing other things that caused them to be loud." He sent Akashi and Teppei a jealous look at that. Momoi followed his look. Akashi and Teppei were looking smugly at each other. Their clothes messed up. Teppei shirt was even undone! He had scratches all over and his chest had small...bruises? His hair also looked the same way it did after he woke up. Strange. Akashi's lips were slightly swollen and his hair was also a mess. What's more he had the same type of bruises on his neck as Teppei had on his chest. She frowned. What was even weirder was that when Ryota mentioned what had caused them to be found the others had all smirked.

"Am I missing something?" She asked. The others looked at each other and burst out laughing.

Her eyes flew open again. An empty hallway greeted her eyes. Her heart was still beating wildly, she let out a sigh. She started wondering about the yellow-eyed demon she had met an hour ago. What had Kise been doing here? Were the rest also here? She scoffed. What a stupid question. Of course they were. Wherever one went the rest followed. It had always seemed strangely loyal for a demon to her. Then again it probably had more to do with the fact that they worked together perfectly than anything else. They had been working together for ages. She reminisced over the day she had met the demons. Her mother had been a witch. Not like those magicians you could find all over the Empire. No, her mother had been a nature witch. Magic had been a way of life for her. It had been a religion. As had nature been. Her mother had been faithful to that religion. Until that fateful day.

She had been 6 at the time. The village had been struck with a terrible disease. Once it had been contracted it left you waning away for a few days before death finally embraced you. As soon as the nearby villages had caught wind of the disease they had refused any communication; including business. Considering that their village was reliant on the other villages for food this spelled disaster. Her mother as village head had dived from one tome into the other for days desperate for a solution. Then one day instead of a hopeless look a determined one rested on the face of her mother as the woman withdrew into her room for the first time in days. The next morning her mother appeared out of he room again. She wasn't alone. 7 male adults followed her. Her grandmother had looked strangely alarmed. It had been bizarre since normally the woman always wore a serene expression on her face. Her mother had crouched down in front of her with a tired expression.

"Sweety, these men are going to solve the situation the village is in. I want you to stay out of their way unless they ask for help." Mother had then exchanged a look with her grandmother and then nodded leaving the room, her grandmother soon following her. The only thing she had heard of the conversation was her grandmother shouting to her mother "How could you?! It's one of the very first laws of nature to not make any deals with their kind!" After that she hadn't listened anymore. She wasn't interested in whatever discussion her grandmother had going on with mother. So being the child she was she ignored everything her mother had said about the men, walked right up to the men and asked them "Want to be friends?"

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Kuroko sighed as he looked up at the sky. It was already starting to get signed with pink as the sun started lowering. Cesare had left him to ponder things over. He immersed himself completely in the water. Immediately all background sounds faded. Silence filled his ears. Slowly he opened his eyes. Small water sprites laughed at him. Slowly he smiled back. The water sprites giggled, the sound clear in his ears even though he was underwater. Then suddenly they looked up appearing slightly alarmed. With a resigned look on their face they waved at him before dissolving into the water. Just as the last one was gone, a sound penetrated the wall of dense water that had protected his ears. Closing his eyes again, he broke with his head through the water surface. When his eyes were open again he was looking right in the face of the blond that only that morning his familiar had warned him about. When he allowed his eyes for a second to stray he also found the redhead looking at him. He tried to remember his name. The possible demon had never introduced himself to Kuroko but Kuroko remembered Kise screaming his name.

Akashi.

Slowly he closed his eyes, his head lowering to look into the water. The water sprites were gone. Well they weren't really gone but they had become passive in the water. Allowing their forms to flow back into the water which their bodies had been made of in the first place. The newcomers had scared them off with their aura. Not that they would have stayed had it been anyone else. Kuroko had long learned that he was the only one to see them.

He opened his eyes again, his reflection staring back at him. He looked up. Slowly he let the smallest amount of magic start to leak free. Small enough that it could have been blamed on emotions. And if he was lucky the demons would. He looked up at them, no expression on his face.

"Can I help you?" His voice wasn't cold. It wasn't sharp. The only thing it was, was distant. There were no emotions in his voice nor were there in his eyes. For this conversation. For this he would let all the training go of how to be noticeable. He returned to what he had been originally. What he still somewhat was behind all the masks. A shadow, but they never noticed. Needed but never paid attention to. Emotions hidden away by the emotionless mask he had been born with.

Akashi could feel the magic leaking out. He could feel it being directed as he stared at the blue haired beauty's face. He knew the magic wasn't leaking out simply because the other was emotional. He knew the other had better control than that just from his position as throne prince. Yet he couldn't tell what the other was doing with the magic. Sideways he looked at Kise silently asking the other to check whether he knew if the other had become aware that they were demons.

Kise leaned closer to the blue haired mortal. Kuroko's eyes narrowed and before Kise could come even a bit closer Kuroko had pushed himself off. The boy was now looking at them 2 meter from where he had originally been.

"Try to keep your distance, If you will."

Akashi resisted the urge to smirk. Kise next to him didn't bother. A smirk stretched across his face almost hitting scary proportions. The boy was wary of them. The raven had reached him. Their identity had been revealed. Strangely enough fear hadn't worked it's way into the soon to be nymph's aura yet. Just wariness. Probably his blood telling him that he had nothing to fear of them. And he didn't. Nymphs were well respected and desired in the world of the underworld. They wouldn't harm him. Even if he attacked. They would just...subdue him. Either way the fact that the boy knew that they were demons could prove to be either a good or a bad thing. Or both. They would find out soon enough either way.

"You obviously knew what we are and we know what you are. Or at least what you are going to be." The boy didn't even stiffen. Yet his aura was swirling with his feelings of surprise and for the first time the lightest hint of fear. Akashi could tell that the boy wasn't quite as afraid of them as he was of what they could do with the information.

"We could help you, after your transformation, get you accustomed to your new senses, adjust you to your new...urges." While he was speaking Kise slipped behind the young heir. His fingers trailed softly over the heir's skin. Unconsciously Kuroko pushed closer to the other's body.

"Take you under our wing... protect you." Kise looked up surprised. He hadn't expected that last bit. In the demon world protecting people meant more than it did in the mundane world, you officially protected someone that meant you had staked your claim on them. If someone then harmed them...death would be the lightest punishment.

But the boy didn't know that. And even though lust was sparking across the boy's skin his thought told Kise that he was still rather suspicious of them. Carefully the boy disentangled himself from Kise only now noticing the man had embraced him from behind. He picked up his clothes from where they were lying on the ground a few meters farther. With a grace only those who had fought in battles acquired he slipped into his clothes. Slowly he made his way to the exit. His low heels not making any sound on the tiles and just when Kise thought that he would just ignore the offer the boy turned around.

"I will consider your offer. Expect your answer tomorrow." Akashi nodded silently.

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Mukuro looked over at the emperor thinking of the possibility of possessing the man. He would immediately get a great amount of power, but fact was being the ruler of an empire the size of Hideaki had a rather large amount of duties. And if there was one thing that Mukuro hated it was responsibilities. So maybe he shouldn't possess the emperor after all. He supposed he had to find a different way to go around getting that much power. He sighed as he moved from his spot on the wall. It was still quite cold outside, but Mukuro could tell that it wouldn't be long before spring broke through. Here and there were already appearing a few small buds under a very thin layer of snow.

Kuroko had informed him that the garden looked magnificent in spring. Mukuro suspected that the others feeling about the garden in spring had partly to do with the season. Really, it was just a feeling that he had, but he couldn't help but think that Kuroko loved the spring. Which was strange since in appearance the other looked like a winter type. Still he'd rather trust his gut feeling than his eyes. He would be a fool to do anything else since he was a master of illusion magic. Speaking of magic, he could feel an aura nearing his own. He leaned against the wall he had just jumped off. He recognized this aura. His muscles relaxed slightly. The person who was nearing wasn't someone he trusted but was to impassive to do anything to him, even if he realized who he was. Which he probably would. Chuckling he looked down, yes. The Nightmare wouldn't harm him. Though he would recognize him. He looked up as he heard the soft crunching of snow getting closer to him. He knew the demon could walk effortlessly on the snow without making even the slightest sound and was surprised the other would bother with making sure he had noticed his presence. Then again maybe the other hadn't quite recognized him yet and it would lead to awkward questions if a human was seen walking on snow without making a sound. Murasakibara was looking at him, a chocolate piece in his mouth.

"Mukuro-chin." It was more a statement than anything else. Mukuro stared longingly at the chocolate. Not many knew but he adored chocolate.

Murasakibara followed the stare and hesitantly broke of a piece of chocolate before handing it to the other. Mukuro accepted it without a word and put it without all too much thought into his mouth. He doubted it was poisoned and even if it was he could still fool his body into believing it was not.

"Kufufufufufu, So what are you doing here?" Murasakibara blinked at him.

"You know I can't reveal information like that."

"I suppose you can't. " Murasakibara just stared at him.

"How are the others doing?"

"Same as always..." Murasakibara yawned.

Mukuro sighed. Impassive indeed.

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Kuroko let his fingers run over the dagger. The sun was already hovering in the sky again but he had yet to come to a decision. He had noticed by Kise's reaction that the offer was important and nothing to be foolishly dismissed. Itzal absolutely didn't want him to do it. The raven had told him that he held a reasonable amount of dislike towards demons. Normally he would have immediately heeded Itzal's advice His own instinct told him to trust them and accept their offer. But his head wasn't quite able to wrap itself around the idea of trusting anyone, let alone demons he had only known for a few days. He hissed as he accidentally cut one his fingers on the blade of his dagger. Blood dripped to the floor at the same time a knock sounded from the door.

"Come on in." A red-head peaked around the corner. Kagami. He had a bright smile on his face wearing some tight pants with a pair of high combat boots. It didn't take long for him to notice the blood on the floor. The smile disappeared, a worried frown taking its place as he strode across the room towards the couch that was holding Kuroko.

"Why is it that whenever I find you, you're always injured?" The redhead asked with frustration in his voice as he took the finger. Kuroko opened his mouth to answer when Kagami interrupted him.

"And don't you dare answer that!" Kuroko shut his mouth immediately, an innocent expression on his face as he looked up at Kagami who had finished cleaning the wound and was now wrapping some of his spare bandage around the wound.

"I wasn't about to answer. Besides, you're overreacting, it's just a small cut." Kagami bristled.

"I'm not overreacting!" He closed his eyes as he seemed to be trying to calm himself down. He continued in a soft almost silent voice.

"Not when you are almost always injured." Now Kuroko was the one to close his eyes. He remembered the offer '...Protect you...' Akashi had promised. He remembered the look on his father's face when he was finished. How the guards looked and Alexandra looked at him with pity. How Kagami and his father always got frustrated when they saw him injured. He would accept the demon's offer. He rose from the couch surprising Kagami who had just finished sealing the bandage. He smiled at the other. Quickly he pressed a kiss against the others cheek. "Thank you Kagami." he said before leaving the room, not noticing the flush he had caused to appear on the other.

He walked with steady pace through the halls of his wing towards the room the demons had been assigned. Once having reached his destination he softly knocked on the door, his heart fluttering with excitement.

Akashi's voice answered. "Come in."

Soundlessly he pushed the door open and stepped into the room closing the door behind him. Immediately 7 pair of eyes were fixed on him. He ignored those he didn't know, giving a nod to Aomine and Kise before his eyes found Akashi.

"I accept your offer."

Akashi smirked.


	7. Chapter 7

Haizaki stared at the blue haired kid that had entered their room. "Who the fuck're you?!" Kuroko didn't take offense to the other's language. In fact the others language reminded him slightly of Kagami. Though Kagami wouldn't have been quite as open with his language to someone who he had never met. He had to play the role of son of the most prized advisor of the emperor after all. Still he couldn't condone such language being spoken to him. He was after all the heir of the empire. So repressing the smile that had wanted appear at the sound of language use so similar to Kagami he coolly looked at the attractive male that had dared to use such language against him. "I'm the son of the foolish man who made a deal with you." Haizaki looked the other over.

"So he send you as our reward ? You might have a pretty face and a tight ass but what we did for your father was worth slightly more than a night with a whore." He said with a sneer. While Akashi and Kise had exchanged a worried look when they heard that Tetsuya knew that his father had made a deal with them, now they were outright alarmed, their eyes carefully taking in the expression and aura that had been swirling lazily around the blue haired boy. While Tetsuya's expression had remained blank his aura was now angrily lashing out at nearby objects…..and people. Teppei jumped out of the way with a loud "Woah!" a gust of wind cutting of the path of the aura that had started to materialize into water . Kise had already moved behind Kuroko, his own powers active to protect himself and sooth Tetsuya's anger.

Careful of the hand that was laying on a dagger sheath, he slowly engulfed the smaller male in a hug hoping that nymphs didn't have violent reactions to emotion manipulating powers being used on them. When the other male didn't shove him away he pulled him closer, being careful to leave the other the possibility to move away. When he didn't do so the blue head ended up with a soft thud against the other's chest. When he saw the water lashing out at him only stopped a centimeter or two from his eyes he felt grateful that he had taken the precaution of raising a shield before closing in on the little one. Bending his head so that he could lay it on the others shoulder he softly whispered into the other's ear well aware that all the other occupants of the room could hear him. "Shhh, little one. He didn't mean it in such way. You are too valuable to be such thing. He'll apologize." He ended with a glare at the male with braids.

Haizaki protested. "I will do no such thing!" For a moment the silence and tension was almost touchable before the soft and calm voice of Akashi cut through it. "You will." Haizaki's eyes widened. Akashi never forced him to apologize to anyone unless they were in demon high society. Not even to the most powerful of emperors he had ever needed to apologize. Because in the end they were all silly puny humans . They were there for the pleasure of slaughter, sex and now and then a soul. So why did he have to apologize to this small little boy who smelt entirely…..Not human? But how could the boy possibly smell of supernatural creature? His father was obviously human and this frail little boy couldn't possibly have enough power to activate his creature gen. But the fact was staring him in the face. Quite literally. The boy, whose aura had calmed slightly since Kise's whispers, was staring blankly at him. If the boy didn't have such attractive features the other would have already compared him to a fish. Those also looked so blank.

Alas pouty peach pink lips and clear blue eyes didn't allow him to make such comparison. Damn it, someday he would find someone with whom he could make that comparison. Now however he would apologize having heard the underlying threat in their leader's voice if he didn't.

"You have my apologies,….So what are you that makes you important? Cause I can assure you Akashi wouldn't give shit if you were human. Or are you the reward that he chose? Your soul seems pure enough. It isn't tainted with light nor with darkness. A rather rare cuisine. It isn't often you stumble upon a soul who is neither good nor evil. Who almost seems removed from his surroundings. Neutral creatures have such souls. Though rare. Elementists sometimes have such souls as well. The thing is, if they have such souls it means one thing. They don't care. They don't care what happens to their surroundings. They don't care if people die around them. They don't give a shit if whole countries are destroyed. They'll have a few things or people they'll care about and for the rest as far as they're concerned the whole world could rot away."

Kuroko swallowed thickly. He remembered his mom's words before she spelled him invisible. "Don't worry sweety. You'll get over it." Tears had been trailing down her face and her eyes had seemed slightly bitter as she had spoken those words. At the time he hadn't even known what she meant by 'it'. She had seemed to have trouble with admitting it. It probably had hurt her to know that the person she loved the most wasn't attached to her. Because he had loved her, he had, but he hadn't been attached to her. He would have done anything she asked for when she was with him and wouldn't even feel the need to complain because he knew he had been making her happy. If she was gone for a few weeks he was never able to say that he had missed her. He had been shocked that she had said that to him. But she had been right. While her death had left a hole in his life, it hadn't really hurt. He had felt slightly lonely since she had been the only person who made daily time for him but her death hadn't really hurt him. Not like it hurt normal people.

Not like it had hurt his father. His father even though he had been the one to murder her had locked himself in his room for days. One day Kuroko had sneaked in his father's room wanting to ask why he had done what he had. But the sight that had greeted him had left him unable to say anything. The room was in shambles. Everything in the room that was capable of being broken was broken. Cuts had ran across the hysterical male's back and arms. Loud sobs had been echoing around the otherwise silent room. Seeing his father in such state had left him unable to do anything. His father was always the composed one. He never showed his emotions to such extent that young Kuroko had used to wonder if his father had such things as emotions. That day his question had been answered. He had left the room just as silently as he had entered it. Or at least he had tried to. He had stumbled upon a piece of broken vase landing with his hands in some smaller pieces. A loud hiss had left his lips before he could stop himself.

His father had looked up with an almost animalistic look in his eyes. When he had recognized his son the look in his eyes had slightly calmed replaced by guilt and despair. "I'm sorry,I'm sorry, you'll understand one day. I had to do it! I'm sorry! Please forgive me Kuroko! Forgive me for taking your mother…." He had sobbed out. Kuroko had just looked at his father before hesitantly engulfing the larger male in a hug. His father had frozen. Then he had pulled the boy almost painfully close sobbing into the boy's neck. "I'm sorry…"

Kise slowly trailed an invisible pattern over the blue head's arm having noticed that he was remembering something unpleasant. Softly he spoke. "He'll be a Nymph."

The five demons that hadn't know anything about this exchanged alarmed looks. "What do you mean he will be a nymph?" Asked Teppei not sure how to feel about the blue head.

"Exactly what I said. He's a ¼ creature and a ¾ human. His magic is simply powerful enough to fully flush out his human blood upon his coming of age." A tense silence rose in the room. "But that's supposed to be impossible. It only happens like once every 200 a 300 years. Besides he's, well a he! Male Nymphs are supposed to be rare. "

Kise looked down at the soon to be nymph. The boys aura had completely stilled. As a demon who's one of his mastery's was the mind arts he knew that the boy was still furious. Years of training had allowed the other to put his aura back under iron tight controls. Kise suspected that the other had been born with an unreadable facial expression. Still getting your aura under control was more impressive than getting your face under control. The second was something you did with your body. The first was something you did with your whole being. Only Akashi,Teppei and for some surprisingly himself were able to do it with ease in their group. The others were able to do it most of the time but when they were too emotional they lacked the control to pull it off. So it was impressive that this human boy was actually able to do it when some of their thousand year old group members weren't able to do it. He repressed a smirk at the knowledge sharing a look with Akashi who was also all too soon smirking as soon as the other had allowed him to enter his mind.

It seemed that they wouldn't have to teach the beautiful boy in his arms as much as they thought they would have to. Still it was nice to have another confirmation for the fact that boy would be powerful except that he was able to completely activate his creature gene. For now he should concentrate on the situation though. Which was a furious Kuroko staring blankly at a now silent Hazaki. He knew that Kuroko had heard what Teppei had said and realized that a lot could depend on the reaction that would be given to the demons remark. If whoever answered said something that Kuroko would take as a negative reaction or an insult whatever deal they might have had for a second was broken. He didn't want that to happen. And he was pretty sure that Akashi wouldn't want it to happen either. But he knew they couldn't say anything. The boy would need to know that there was at least one other person who was okay with the fact that he would be joining their group for however temporary it might be.

"It doesn't matter, does it? A nymph's a nymph. Besides he's pretty good with daggers." Aomine said breaking through the silence.

"Oh ,he is?" Midorima asked sounding interested. Midorima specialized himself in long distance attacks. Bow, Gun, Cannon,… Really all sorts of things. Lately he had been getting interested in throwing knives. Which would explain why he showed interest in the boy.

"Yeah! Not sure how he is with throwing though." Answered Kise enthusiastically.

"We'll have to see later. For now however may I introduce you to rest Tetsuya?" Kuroko didn't react to the question knowing it was only formality anyway. Being slightly calmer he took in the the other occupants of the room their appearance. The one which his eyes immediately were drawn to was an incredibly tall man with violet hair reaching just above his shoulders. He laid spread out on a bordeaux fainting couch, his limb spilling over the couch that was too small too contain him. Large hands were holding countless sweets and on the small coffee table standing in front of the fainting couch stood more trays full of sweets. The face held half lidded eyes which were also purple but a deeper more blue purple as the hair. Distantly Kuroko remembered Mukuro yesterday evening mumbling about purple giants. Was this the person Mukuro had been talking about? He didn't have much longer to ponder about the idea when Akashi pointed to another person. He recognized the other in an instant. He had been one of the persons accompanying Akashi the first time they had seen eachother. Forest green hair was slightly covering eyes of jade. He hadn't gotten the other's name at the time though.

"This is Midorima Shintaro. You've already seen him once before together with me and the person sitting next to him. Teppei Kiyoshi. He's the other leader in this group." Just like Akashi had said he had seen him before. The brown hair was cut short with thick eyebrows above almond shaped and colored eyes.

Teppei nodded at him with a friendly smile. His eyes however were darker in nature. It's not that they weren't welcoming. There was just something in the eyes that didn't fit with the rest of his portrayal. He had seen it before. It was the same look generals and envoys sometimes had when they looked at him. He was trying to calculate how useful he would be. Yet the warm feeling of welcome was meant. He could feel it. Strange. Most of the time people like that were cold towards other people even if they hid it behind a charming mask. Then again there were probably going to be some differences between humans and demons. Still he had the feeling this had more to do with the other being's personality then with him being a demon.

"Aomine and Kise you already know. And the idiot that insulted you is Haizaki. Don't take whatever he says personal. He tends to let his mouth run before thinking of possible consequences." Akashi's eyes flashed as he said that and Kuroko's eyes flew to the silverhead in curiosity of the other's reaction to the barely veiled threat. He was quick enough to see the tense bobbing of the demon's adam's apple. He felt the corners of his mouth slightly turning up.

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Mukuro rose from his spot on the sofa when he heard the door opening fully expecting to see Kuroko's blue locks. Instead of that pleasant vision he was greeted by the sight of that annoying Osami Kagami. The right hand of the emperor looked equally displeased to see him.

"Is Tetsuya absent, boy?" Mukuro rolled his eyes.

"Just as absent as your vision apparently." He said smiling pleasantly.

Osami's eyes narrowed. "Wonder what Tetsuya would say if he heard you say something like that. Showing hostility to one of the emperor's advisors. That's a big no-no."

"Kufufu. Showing hostility to the poor boy that has a traumatic past and is protected by the prince himself. Tst,tst,tst, or didn't you hear the hidden threat in his words?"

Osami gritted his teeth. In the beginning he might not have had anything against the boy. He had just been suspicious and thus a danger to the prince. Now however he could kill the boy himself. He might have the prince believing the innocent act but any brat that was this good at insulting other people and threatening them couldn't be good news. Especially not in the court. What would the nobles think? Worse,what would the envoys of other countries think? True,he was probably letting his judgement be clouded by how annoying the boy was. But the brat needed to be eliminated. He smiled at the brat. Mukuro frowned. The other wasn't in any position to be smiling. Then he started doubting how far the protection of Kuroko would really go when the other wasn't even here. Osami answered the question for him.

The man knelt before him a grin on his face. "But the prince isn't here right now, is he? And what he doesn't know won't harm him." Before Mukuro could even blink the man had him by his hair and was dragging him to the bathroom where like always the enormous tub was already filled with water. The older man forced him on his knees before the water. Mukuro felt a chill running through his spine as his reflection in the water looked back at him fearfully. He had just finished a cleansing ritual he couldn't use his magic. He was going to die. After having dealt with dimension-shifting, demons, ghost and any creatures possible he was going to die at the hands of a mere human*(look below in author's note). He hung his head bitterly just as he heard quiet chuckles in his ears.

"And if he asks where you are? I'll just tell him that you left the palace. He'll believe it. He'll visit the orphanage only to see you're not there. He might search for a few months but after a while he'll give up and you'll end up just being a faint memory. Something he knows he used to cherish but can't seem to remember the emotion of. Just like his mother."

The man forced him down until his face was hovering right above the water. He could see the beautiful tiles of the tub through his fearful reflection. Would Tetsuya really forget about him like that? Surely not? He couldn't say that he was as secure of his case as he wanted to be. He bit his lip angrily at the thought of the other forgetting him. A drop of blood disturbed the water sending small ripples over the whole surface.

"Goodbye boy." His face was roughly shoved into the water. Bubbles rose around him as he lost the only air he had by gasping. Water filled his mouth. He wildly swung his arms in hopes of hitting something but to no hope. God, air, he needed air. His struggles became weaker as his lack of air started affecting him more and more. He didn't want to die. He hadn't found his way back yet. His way home. Dark spots were dancing in his vision. It seemed that it didn't matter what he wanted. He was going to die. If he had any power left he would have used it to struggle even more wildly. As it was he didn't even have enough left to just struggle. He closed his eyes. This was it. Then he was roughly pulled out. Cold arms enclosed him pulling him tightly to the chest connected to them. A snarl sounded through the room. Kuroko.

Kuroko sighed tiredly as he walked to his room. After the introduction he had been ordered to appear around 8 in the morning the next day before being sexually assaulted by Kise, saved Aomine, once again insulted by Haizaki and surprisingly enough saved by the purple giant. Now he was just tired. He was going to take a bath and then go to sleep. He had considered going to the outside baths before deciding he was too tired for the water sprites usual antics. He entered his room noticing it's lack of Mukuro before hearing the violent splashing of water in the bathroom. What was the kid doing in there?

Slowly he dragged himself to the doorway his tiredness disappearing immediately as his eyes took in the scene. Osami. Mukuro. Drowning. Fury and fear were coursing through his veins. Mukuro's body wasn't even struggling anymore. Gods, what was he going to do if Mukuro was dead? Harshly he pushed Osami aside yanking Mukuro up by the back of his shirt. He pulled the boy close to his form, trying to calm himself by feeling the coughing uneven breaths that were leaving Mukuro's lips. He snarled. Without him even noticing the water rose around him. Osami looked at him fearfully.

"Leave." Osami didn't move still eyeing the water fearfully. Kuroko felt the protective fury overtaking him.

"Leave I said!" Now Osami did react. He scrambled to get up before running through the door. Kuroko pulled Mukuro even closer to him.

"I'm so sorry." he mumbled in the boy's dark blue hair thinking the child was unconscious. Mukuro pushed his head deeper into Kuroko's shoulder whispering a soft "Thank you..." '... for not forgetting me.' Was left unsaid but somehow still heard loudly in the room. Kuroko just pulled him closer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * I really wanted to write muggle here


	8. Chapter 8

Mukuro awoke feeling the fluttering of a heart against his own. For a moment he tensed then his mind conjured the events of yesterday back in his memories. That combined with the sweet smell of peaches, apple blossom and a soft yet inescapable hint of jasmine being inhaled reminded him that he was safe causing his body to inadvertently relax and for his mind to let go of the forceful panic that had settled in the landscapes of his disturbed brain. Trying to calm himself further he inhaled the other's scent deeply. He noticed that the scent now included the clean,pure smell of rain. How could he have missed it? The soothing scent of freshly fallen rain seemed to be the core of Kuroko's sweet yet tantalizing aroma.

Burying his head deeper in aquamarine locks he opened his eyes. The red cloaked girl with bitter eyes greeted him. The bedroom. If he could have been bothered with pulling his nose out of the empires heir he would have smelled the red spider lilies and snowdrops that were daily replaced. In a way it was sad he supposed. Everyday the beautiful flowers were disposed of simply for being one day older than their prime. He supposed that as long as he wasn't disposed of in similar ways it didn't matter.

Finally feeling up to leaving the warm and safe embrace of Kuroko he started to carefully move his limbs that were heavy with sleep until those heavy limbs suddenly started to lighten. He looked up, turquoise eyes were staring back at his own much darker colored ones. The arms that he only just had managed to escape carefully cradled him close to the other's chest. Not that he minded if he were to be honest. A soft kiss was pressed to tresses of night. Mukuro was able to distinguish a soft sorry being mumbled before another kiss was laid down on his head. Soft beautiful words were spoken to him in such a quiet whisper that Mukuro wasn't sure if he really heard them. The words made warmth flood through him and a smile bloom on his face. A genuine one,not one of his smirks or sneers. And when Kuroko left to get their breakfast which had been left for them in the living room Mukuro wondered if he had imagined the softly spoken 'I love you.'

When the next morning Kuroko arrived at their room with a child in tow Akashi and the others weren't quite sure what to think. Not to mention that the child looked suspiciously much like a child version of Mukuro Rokudo even as he stood smirking behind Kuroko's lean legs. The protective scowl on the throne prince's face made them all rather hesitant to ask.

Temper, temper, Kuroko...

The demons exchanged looks before an unwilling Kise was shoved forward. Kise swallowed before bravely venturing forward with the question they were all dying to ask. Well,not literally because they don't want to die which is the reason they sacrificed Ryouta. Nobody really cares if he dies (just joking,don't get angry).

"Kuroko...eh..." Kuroko looked at him the scowl not quiet leaving his face but lessening to a certain extent so that a questioning look could coexist with it.

Kise continued still not feeling quite as brave as he would like to be.

"Euhm...that is..." Akashi already having lost whatever patience he had to start with snapped. "Why do you have the child with you Kuroko?"

The scowl returned to the blue haired boy's face. After a short silence in which it was becoming painfully obvious that Kuroko wasn't planning on answering Mukuro decided that it might be best if he answered.

"He is unwilling to leave me alone because of...circumstances ." Mukuro spoke, his pride not allowing him to explain what those circumstances were.

"Circumstances?" Kise wondered out loud.

"Murder attempt." Kuroko bit out. A trail of angry power leaking out of his otherwise perfectly maintained control. Mukuro resisted the urge to flush and couldn't help but to absolutely hate the lack of control over his emotions because of his child form. Then he breathed in and all his anger was washed away as the familiar and calming scent of Kuroko filled his nostrils. He pondered if it was wise to let someone with so much power over him live. Another part of him absolutely refused to follow the trail his mind was going, having grown strongly attached to the younger blue-head.

Apparently Kuroko had noticed his agitation because not a second later the others hand was going through his hair in a soothing rhythm. A wave of affection and warmth flooded through him at the other's touch while another smaller, stubborn, part of him used this as proof that he was allowing the other to have too much control. The soft genuine smile sent his way made a small tinge of guilt surface about his thoughts. Yet again something inside of him just couldn't help but point out that with one smile and a touch the other had changed his entire thought process.

He was allowing the other to have too much influence over him.

But was that really such a bad thing? The other had been nothing but kind to him until now. Because you're a kid. How do you think he will react if he finds out that you've been deceiving him all along? The more cynical part of him sneered. Mukuro looked at Kuroko. Then he'd tell him.

After a long discussion in which it was finally agreed on that Mukuro could stay with Tetsuya after a particularly vehement look from Kuroko to them all. Akashi coughed calling all attention to him. "Let's go inside instead of remaining to stand here in the middle of the hallway like idiots."

Kuroko was led into the same room he had been in only yesterday.

Smiling, Kise laid a hand on Kuroko's shoulder telling him to sit wherever he liked. Before he had the chance to choose a seat however Mukuro made his presence known by pulling him towards a dark brown loveseat. He was pushed into the seat by the small boy before he felt the small body snuggling close to him.

Kise looked on dumbfounded as his prey was being stolen from him. Pouting he sat himself next to Kiyoshi who smiled and ruffled his hair.

"You'll be transgressing into a creature soon. When exactly...?" Midorima ventured.

Kuroko cocked his head. "In a week or two will be my birthday."

Midorima opened his mouth to respond when out of nothing a snow owl materialized. All of them immediately noticed when the bluenette tensed at the sight of her.

"Schnee,geef me Alexandra Garcia haar bericht." The owl hooted and as the sound echoed the owl's screech slowly changed into a woman's voice.

'Kuroko, dear -' Kuroko stiffened even more at how she addressed him. She only called him that when she told him something that might hurt him. He closed his eyes preparing himself for the words that might or might not create a dent in his walls.

'-Your father...has decided to remarry. His chosen partner of marriage is...me. Please don't be angry with me,you know that I have little choice in the regard. I wanted to tell you this news personally but I haven't been able to find you. Please...Come to me when you receive this message. Don't do...Nevermind. The marriage has already been finalized so there is little for you - or me for that matter -to change about it.'

Kuroko was by nature and nurture not a very emotional person. But just like any calm person he had his triggers. His mother being one of them. And thus Fury flooded his being.

Kise looked up alarmed the emotions slamming into him as it did with Murasakibara whose eyes only widened slightly before throwing the bluenette a look. Mukuro who had observed the heir since his arrival shooed away leaving some distance between him and Kuroko. The other 5 demons immediately realised something was wrong by their group members reaction. Kuroko stood.

"It looks like I'll be leaving your company early. If you'll excuse me. Could you take care of Mukuro for a short while? Thank you." He bowed shortly towards them before leaving the room without waiting for their answer. Kise stood immediately and went after him knowing he wouldn't go to Alexandra even though she had requested for him to do so. The room was left in silence. Then Haizaki commented.

"I think I might be starting to like the boy."

"Kufufu, Idiot."

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The Emperor was just finishing his work with the last vassal -something about wanting to claim a bastard and register him as an aristocrat and the next heir- when his son threw open the doors of the throne room. He glanced at him commenting on his mood as he signed the papers with a flourish signature and the royal seal before sending the vassal off. "I see you were told of my marriage." He said with an annoyed look. At his words Kuroko eyes hardened to those of ice. Ignoring what his father had said to him he spoke his words throwing his father and all others present off guard.

"I challenge you." The prince had never directly opposed his father. Even after so many beating he had always remained subservient to the needs of the realm knowing that even if his father was a horrible father he was a great ruler. The guards that had been present at the beatings weren't able to believe that the boy after withstanding so many beatings he would lose his temper over some marriage. Though maybe the phrasing of losing his temper was wrong. After all the boy seemed to have iron strong control over the fury that was present in his eyes.

"Pardon me?" The emperor shared their disbelief.

"I challenge you to an official duel, right here and right now, all means allowed." The voice that spoke was cold.

For a moment the emperor gathered his wits. If he were to refuse he would seem like a coward to his subjects. "Very well."

He stood his cloak dropping to the ground as he transcended the stairs that led to the throne. Without anyone noticing Kise had creeped into the room soon being followed by the rest of the group. Kuroko smiled icily as he stepped forward. Itzal's voice sounded through his mind. Are you sure you want to do this? Yes.

"First blood loses?" His father questioned. He nodded.

For a moment they were silent just looking at each other. They bowed. And before anyone had even time to blink sparks started to fly as blades crossed. Kuroko felt his anger roaring. Demanding blood. Broken bones. Burnt flesh. Injuries that would last forever signaling his father's last day of fall from grace as he had finally reached the lowest and darkest pit there was to reach. He let go of his control, letting the fury take hold. Sparks danced across his skin as electricity was generated. His opponent avoided that swing.

Dropping to the ground for a low kick he felt more than saw his father jump. The sword came swinging from the side at him as he raised his dagger to block it sending another burst of electricity through his body feeling this one take hold of his father. Kuroko, with a hard push, pushed the older man down to the ground where he soon was upon him like a fury from the heavens. The dagger was quick to be pressed to the emperor's throat with even the smallest movement signaling his loss...or worse. He laid motionless as his son bowed forward his mouth resting only centimeters from his ear.

"How could you desecrate her like that? Don't you have any shame? You once told me you were sorry. I now see that you weren't because if you had been you wouldn't dare disrespect her like this... But no worries, I'll make you sorry." Kuroko hissed his words poisonous and sharp inflicting far worse damage to the man as the lightning had done to his nerve system.

With a quick push on the dagger he rose from his father.

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The 7 demons and Mukuro watched from the side as father and son fought. "You know, I never thought he would be quite this violent." Aomine remarked. They were surprised when they heard a soft but unmistakable voice answer from behind.

"He isn't. His mother is just a trigger for him." Momoi's voice sounded.

"Satsuki." Akashi said in way of greeting his voice not showing any of the surprise he was feeling as he turned around to face her. "How have you been?" Satsuki smiled sweetly at them. Her hair was still that same soft pink color it had been when she was but a child while her figure had ripened to that of a voluptuous woman. The soft high voice that had belonged to her during childhood had made place for a while still soft lower sound as was to be expected once one aged. And her sweet innocent character...

"After you killed my family and extinguished my village you mean? Just dandy, really."

...was practically non-existent.

"How do you know Tetsuya?" her voice was cold and hostile Akashi noted.

"His father made a deal with us. What do you mean by saying his mother being a trigger?" For a moment Momoi looked away her attention drawn to the fight where Kuroko was now pushing his father down. Then her gaze was once again upon them the words that left her lips bitter sounding.

"I mean exactly what I said. His mother is a trigger. Tetsuya is one of the most peaceful and calmest persons you'll ever meet in your lives. That means a lot for those of your kind. He does however have certain triggers that anger him. Depending on which trigger his reaction will differ. Disrespect to his mother has always been and will always be the worst and quickest trigger he owns."

"Oh, is our dear little boy a momma's boy." Haizaki sneered. Momoi ignored him knowing that Haizaki himself used to be a momma's boy as Kiyoshi had once laughingly revealed to her after Haizaki had something mean to her about her running to her grandmother whenever something went wrong.

"Kuroko was indeed someone who loved his mother very much. Now, however, his mother is dead and whatever love he used to hold for her has turned into a distant fondness, a deep respect and a certain gratefulness that I still find hard to understand as a child that easily draws attention to herself and has received a lot of affection while growing up. Kuroko doesn't want anyone to speak about his mother with bad words. Those who have done so have soon found themselves rotting in the dungeons."

For a moment she looked thoughtful as she allowed the others to process that information. Then she added.

"If the Borgias don't get them first that is." Their attention was suddenly drawn back to the fight as blood filtered through their nostrils. The red liquid shimmered in the light as Kuroko turned to face the crowd that had assembled during the short fight between father and son.

"As is dictated in act 79. section 251 I lay claim to all that my father owns including the title of Emperor and its belonging power. With this power I once again place the Consort Alexandra Garcia as the temporary ruling power of this Empire as I gift her with the title of Empress until I am capable of taking the position of Emperor. "

Gasps ran through the crowd some more shocked than others. Some were angry,others simply surprised. Kuroko himself was also feeling this emotion as unexpectedly his father gave no words of protest as he laid there, still on the floor , his eyes closing in regret. Soon there came a servant running with the ceremonial cloak, staff and crown of the Empress.

Alexandra stepped forward. Kneeling she waited, as the servant handed all the objects to her son-in-law. Alexandra had been lucky enough to observe this ceremony before. She had never expected to take part in looked down feeling the crown being placed on her head as well as the cloak around her shoulder. She then stood speaking loudly so that it would echo in the room. "I accept." Which made Kuroko complete the final part of the ceremony as he handed her the staff and spoke. "So you do."

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Cesare walked unnoticed out of the hall contemplating the events that had just transpired. This changed a lot. Their spy had been made Empress. Cesare had no doubt that Kuroko would keep a close eye on her so the chance of using this to further their own empire was minimal. Alexandra however would allow the Borgia family to visit Kuroko which would lead to a lot of the hostility between the two Empires to disappear. Not completely of course, but enough for it to matter. The trading contract would be drawn without a problem and Kuroko would be initiated as a part of the Borgia family. The war that had been brewing between the two empires would be avoided. The Borgia family would be able to ease the young heir into his being as nymph if so needed. Though he doubted it would truly be needed. The boy had after all been seen with the demons a few times already now. The only variable was the recently discrowned emperor. Cesare found it hard to believe that the man would just take this lying down. He knew already most of the plans the other had made for his son and the empire. He wouldn't let them all go to waste. He would have talk to Alexandra. His wonderful spy was sure to give him some information.

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Akashi smiled. The demons had once again retreated to their room and Mukuro Rokudo as had been confirmed had been handed back to the bluenette.

"You like him don't you?" Kiyoshi asked, laying beside the leader of their little group. "Do you?" Akashi fired back. "I haven't interacted enough with him to judge,why? You planning on claiming him as ours?"

Akashi chuckled. "He's interesting but one needs more than that to become part of us." Kiyoshi remained silent for a moment listening to the moans in the bedroom next to them followed by a 'Shut the fuck up,I'm trying to concentrate!' by Aomine with answering snickers from Kise and Haizaki who then continued their previous act.

"Power, loyalty and to be liked by every member of the group." Akashi nodded before burying his head deeper into the other's shoulder. "If he manages all of those before his coming of age I'll mark him as ours." Kiyoshi's grip on him tightened. "With his permission or without?" He felt Akashi's smirk form. "Have I ever asked permission?" Kiyoshi smiled his nature making him enjoy the thought of doing something so morally wrong before realizing the one big hurtle that was standing in the way. "He's a creature Akashi not a demon. He won't be able to coexist with us. Especially one of his kind. Nymphs create and guard. Demons simply destroy. His very own nature will turn against him." He spoke, the words feeling wrong in his mouth, like he was telling a lie. He wasn't. There were no documented cases of nymphs and demons coexisting without problems for a longer period of time. He frowned. Then why did it feel like he wasn't right? Akashi looked up.

"Do you not remember what Kashina foretold? She told us there would be a neutral one to join us at the fall of an empire. We assumed she meant a neutral in the politics. But what if she meant a neutral creature? It would seem like Tetsuya's decision will become his empire's downfall . It doesn't enjoy the protection of our deal anymore now." Kiyoshi shook his head in distaste.

"You can't possibly believe her. She's one of them." Akashi dug his nail into the body beneath him. "She hasn't been one of them for a very long time. As has she been a friend of mine for a very long time. I will not allow you to speak in such tone about her." Kiyoshi shook his head.

"It doesn't matter anyway. At the moment the only one who like him are Aomine, Kise and you."


	9. Chapter 9

Silence reigned in the room. "What's wrong?" Kuroko asked worry and weariness battling to take the forefront in his voice. He wanted to know what Mukuro felt he should tell him, but his body and mind were demanding rest in the way of a slowly developing headache. Mukuro looked down at the floor. He'd never noticed before that the tiles seemed to shimmer when he tilted his head. Then again he'd also never felt the need to avoid looking at Kuroko. But he didn't want to see the Kuroko's reaction to what he was about to say. Attachment was not something he was used to. After all attachment came from affection and while he became fond of a person now and then, it was quite a different thing to actually hold affection for someone. The blue haired prince was the second person he had ever gotten attached to. It gave the boy a lot of power he wasn't even aware he had. He had grown up in an environment that taught him to hold no love except for himself. The blue haired prince was the second person that had managed to worm his way into his heart. And the stupid boy wasn't even aware of it. Mukuro wasn't quite sure what made him so different.

Maybe it was because the other hadn't found him frightening unlike everyone else. Maybe it was the way he treated him with kindness while others he would barely spare a glance. Maybe it was his quiet and serene that had Mukuro himself relaxing,his scent of peaches,apple blossom, rain and the inescapable hint of jasmine. And maybe just maybe there simply was no reason and it was just all the small things the other had done. Perhaps the other would grow hateful toward him if he knew that the young child he had saved from a lab and taken in was actually a grown adult that had sneaked into said lab to destroy it. But from what Mukuro had learned of him the other would just stare at him,shake his head and say 'okay.' And so he looked up his usual confident smirk having regained its rightful place on his face. And as he opened his mouth...klap.

The floor shook both its residents flinching as the loud sound hurt their ears. Only a few seconds later the door was thrown open,a guard rushing inside.

"Sir! We're under attack!"Another tremor was felt causing the books that had managed to survive the previous one to fall.

"By who?" Kuroko questioned his tone sharp. The guard swallowed as the temperature dropped.

"By the Nollet Empire." Kuroko frowned. They had no reason to attack them. The Nollet Empire was a pet name for the Nollet Aliance. Said Alliance existed out of 5 countries. Abbadon,Eve,Jubal,Levi and Zion. The alliance had existed since the foundation of the youngest country Levi a few centuries ago. Strangely enough it was the smallest country that held the power over the other few. Eve was the smallest, but oldest country. It had a flowing economy with stable politics. Remarkable was the fact that unlike most countries Eve demanded a Queen as the ruling power whereas other countries tended to prefer Kings. Not only that, but the Queens were also said to have all been creatures as all of them had lived at least a few centuries. Abbadon was the second oldest country and was well known for its offensive power on the battlefield. It was a country that mostly existed out of barren land and relied heavily on the other countries for food and water as the land was infertile and dry for the many deserts in the country.

Zion on the other hand was the complete opposite and existed almost completely out of water. Cities were built either below the water surface or on it. The capital Atlantis was world famous for its Scholars and was leaps and bounds farther with science then any other country in the world. The fish and jewelry trade outshone any other trade they held as the country was most famous for its delicious fish and beautiful jewelry. They provided Abbadon with most of their water and fish.

Jubal was a land consisting almost completely out of rain forests and had a tropical temperature. It held almost any kind of animal and thus unsurprisingly it provided Abbadon with meat and a lot of fruit. Since the country existed mainly out of rain forests and it was thus difficult to build on the ground they had simply started building their villages and cities in the trees. And thus a lot of the cities were built in the trees one of the few exceptions being the capital which had cleared the trees before building where they had once stood.

Levi was a country that held strong defensive forces and was famous for the magic that seemed to simply emit from the ground. It held the coldest temperature of all the countries and had an almost constant vision of snow. It held a lot of mountains and a few volcanoes. Just like Abbadon it depended on the other countries for food. Because the temperature was always below the freezing point cities were built beneath the earth were it was warmer.

The strings that connected the Alliance were the Church and the Nollet family. All were countries that followed the ideas of the church. The church was one of the three authorities in all of the countries. They were the Neutral powerhouses. Just like the Royal families they weren't obliged to follow any laws that had been drawn nor did they have to allow any of the Royal Family or government entrance.

The Nollet family on the other hand was the ruling family of Eve. Not only would it provide food and soldiers if any of the other countries were in need,every few generations it would also give away a bride to one of the other countries. The off-spring of said bride would always be exceptionally strong causing the brides to be wanted by all countries. But in the meanwhile Eve had managed to keep all countries closely tied to herself.

"Have they stated any reasons?" The guard frowned before shaking his head. "No,sir." Kuroko nodded before turning away to face Mukuro and thus dismissing the guard. Which was why he was surprised that the guard spoke up. That however was already in itself strange. If a guard required the attention of those of a higher stature than them they were required to tap with their spear the ground as was taught in the academy. He dismissed the occurrence with the thought that the situation was quite a bit more stressful than training in the academy. "Yes?" He questioned.

"Sir, The Queen ordered me to get you to safety." That was when it clicked. The guard hadn't tapped with his spear because he hadn't received the training. Nobody of the Hideaki empire would ever call the ruling power King or Queen. It had and would always be Emperor or Empress. Those of the Nollet Alliance on the other hand...

Kuroko smiled coldly. "I see, of course she did. Please allow me a moment to collect my charge his and my cloak." The infiltrator looked relieved that he had at least gotten past that part of the mission. If only he knew... "Come Mukuro." Kuroko said his tone slightly warmer as he took the child his hand and led him to their sleeping chambers. Mukuro must have noticed his tense posture since he didn't comment on the fact that he didn't have a cloak yet as the seamstress had yet to finish it. He followed quietly closing the door behind him. His blue and red eye followed Kuroko's movements as he went over to the girl with the abandoned eyes. Kuroko was glad he had the foresight to prepare for if there ever happened something like this. Softly in a barely audible tone he whispered. "I'm leaving." Mukuro's mouth almost fell open when the girl suddenly had silent tears flowing down her cheeks. He couldn't believe that he had missed such powerful magic for so long. She stepped aside and Mukuro was even more surprised when saw that where once the girl's frail body had stood was now an opening that was quickly widening. He chuckled softly. Of course the prince would have an escape route in his room. Within a few seconds the opening reached the height and width of an average door. Stairs appeared leading into a steep darkness.

"Come." Kuroko spoke softly taking his hand and leading him forward where they both disappeared into the darkness as the opening closed behind them.

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The demons had been discussing an event that they had been invited to when the first attack shook the palace to its foundation. The book that Akashi had just placed onto the coffee table fell. For a second they were silent listening to the sounds of chaos and havoc that were playing throughout the palace. Round and humane pupils changed into slits the natural looking colors changing into their own more vibrant,more unnatural colors. The sounds of battle were like a thrall to their blood,activating there demon gene. Their instincts were begging them to join the fray. To cause destruction and death were they went. Kise breathed out excitement visible in his face. "They're under attack." His normally amber colored eyes were a bright yellow like those of an owl. Only unlike an owl the pupils were vertical slits. A thin black tail with a spade at the end wagged slowly in the air.

Aomine grinned in reaction. Unlike most in the room his pupils had remained round. His demon form didn't have vertical slits. Feathers were stinging underneath his skin trying to come out. Within a second the two demons were out of the room most likely racing towards a battle they could join. The five leftover demons exchanged a look. Haizaki stood in understanding soon followed by Midorima. Both of their pupils were slits. "Alright,we'll keep those idiots out of trouble. Come on, Shintaro before, you know, the whole Empire and the neighboring one knows there are demons in Hideaki with those two idiots fighting." The two of them soon left at a more reasonably paced speed tracking down the other two with their scent.

"We'll need to check on the boy." Kiyoshi voiced. His pupils had completely disappeared. Akashi nodded silently. "Murasakibara and me will go to find him and Mukuro Rokudo. Can you find out what is going on,who attacked, for what reason and how grave the situation is?" Kiyoshi nodded before leaving the room. Akashi looked at Atsushi who blankly stared back his violet eyes containing horizontal slits. The other was probably thinking what this attack would mean for his sweets income. Akashi sighed. Probably nothing good. Silently the two left their room crossing the hallways which eventually led them to a certain prince's room. The soft thudding of a heartbeat met their ears. Only it wasn't the rhythm of Kuroko's heart. Not to mention that the blue head would never leave Mukuro alone. There was someone else in his room . The door that led to the royal's chambers was silently opened by the taller of the two. The sight they were met with was that of a guard of the palace. The scent that hit their noses however...The palace that the Kuroko family had built for the reign was filled with small courtyards and great garden resulting in the permanent scent of herbs and flowers on whoever had been there for a day. This man smelt like smoke,earth and metal. He wasn't from the palace. He was an infiltrator. Akashi smiled. A true genuine smile.

"Kill him." He ordered the beautiful smile still on his face.

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Apel Nollet was famous for two things. Her beauty and her ability to use it for her own gain. And, Hirah couldn't help but think,she deserved that fame. The woman that was standing only a meter away from himtook another drag from her cigarette before smiling contently as they both continued watching the destruction they were causing. Or more correctly the destruction those dragons of Xander were causing. Apel's blond waves flowed in the wind as icy blue eyes continued the happenings. Her cherry red lips released their hold of the cigarette making Hirah once again wonder what she possibly saw in those stupid smelly smoke sticks. Apel rolled her eyes at his face.

"We'll retreat soon. We can't continue attacking them for too long since . we're not strong enough to fight them at their home front once we've lost the element of surprise. Let's hope they managed to collect him by then." Her hopes however were soon dashed by the sight of a soldier . He looked rather nervous as he approached him and to be honest Hirah couldn't blame him. Apel could be downright terrifying when she was annoyed let alone when she was angry."

"What is it?" Her melodious voice flowed, washing over them. The soldier swallowed. "The guard you assigned to get the prince, he disappeared, My lady. He had been relaying information to us when I heard a voice order 'Kill him' . However I would like to notify you that the report on the boy was incomplete. " Apel tilted her head her dissatisfaction plain on her pretty face. "How so?"

"The guard managed to tell me that the prince appears to have taken a child under his wing before he was killed. When he entered the room a child was with him. Also when he talked to him he referred to the boy as his charge."

Apel nodded thoughtfully. With the next attempt she would have to try and get the kid too then. "I see." The king and queen of the two different countries turned around heading towards the dragons that their friend ,the ruler of Abbadon had provided for the attack. Hirah wasn't quite sure what had made Apel so adamant on attacking the Hideaki empire and getting their prince. He knew that the boy was her great-grandson, but even then it didn't make much sense. He had a suspicion though. One that he rather left unvoiced out of fear of it being true.

He looked up at the dragon that had been reserved as his for their transport. Its intelligent yellow eyes stared back. He suppressed a shiver. He could only hope his fears were unfounded. He knew he could have just asked Apel. Or one of the other rulers. They all knew. He could see it by the resolution in their eyes. In their conviction that what they were doing was the right thing to do. Hirah couldn't think that though. The others of the Alliance would sometimes call him lazy when it came to war. Truth is, he was simply a pacifist. Where Kor and even Inan found a thrill in the battle and Aagatha was challenged with strategical battle plans,he was the one that led the medical part of their wars. Horrifying and inhumane injuries caused by both sides of the war had made him grow disgusted with the very thought of another war. Not only that but...he knew that normally when they were involved in a war there would be a limited amount of damage. But this was the Hideaki empire. They were different and had been since the first of the Kuroko Dynasty had taken their throne. They had a thrall of power to them, different from those of the Nollet family and the Borgia family possessed but just as powerful. One that warned others to stay away, but at the same time pulled you towards them.

One that spoke of wisdom and knowledge. Sometimes Hirah wondered if Solomon had disappeared into the Kuroko family. The way they carried themselves,the way they made decisions. It all reminded him of Solomon. His old friend. The blond man had used to be a part of the church. Born to some of the most faithful and strong of the whole organisation, Solomon had been blessed by God with a wisdom incomparable to that of any other creature. And yet he had deserted the church. He had ,befriended a group of demons and didn't tell anyone except Hirah. And he being the friend he was had kept quiet when the other had left one morning with only a letter left behind saying he didn't want to kill demons. Personally he had always found it funny. The only person that had the intellect to truly understand how evil demons were and how much they needed to disappear wasn't able to bring himself to do so because of his love for them. That had happened a few centuries ago. Even now Solomon was a subject left unspoken under those of the church. It was a taboo. That the most blessed of them all had run off to God's worst enemy. The demons.

He easily lifted himself onto the saddle watching as Apel did the same gracefully. With one last look at the palace where water mysteriously started appearing out of nowhere and was starting to put out the fires they had started. They hadn't even put a dent into the palace with their attacks. He wasn't sure if that thought filled him with relief or with uneasiness and fear. With a yip from Apel they left the ground and soon enough the city behind and as Hirah watched it disappear beneath him he couldn't help, but think that it was one of the most beautiful cities he had ever seen.

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Rodrigo Borgia stared from his throne down at the kings of Abbadon and Levi. The so called opposites of the Nollet alliance. They complimented each other,one filling in where the other lacked. He went with his hand through his hair and looked at them through half-lidded eyes. His usual demeanor as an emperor broken by the news they had just brought him. The king of Abbadon whose name was Kor Salai smiled friendly at him. The man, he guessed, was around 30 years old with short black hair covering his head which held just as black eyes. Muscles were evenly spread over his tanned body that resulted from battles and training. A sword was resting in its sheath at the man's side. A bold statement when coming to another home front and when asking for help.

His own green eyes glanced at the blond standing next to the black haired man. Opposites indeed. Whereas Kor had midnight black hair, Inan the king of Levi had blond hair so light it was almost white. The same went for the husky blue eyes. His complexion was that of porcelain. And where a grin was resting on the face of the king of Abbadon their was a stoic look on the king of Levi. The only thing that seemed to be the same between the two men were their age and their muscled bodies. Instead of a sword the blond carried a glaive. His eyes had slightly widened when he had first witnessed the weapon. It was after all a rare choice of weapon.

His attention was once again pulled to the grave matter the men had come to him when the jovial voice of the king of Abbadon called for his attention.

"So, What do you say?" The Nollet Alliance had declared war upon the Hideaki empire. Something that hurt his old heart. The situation between the two empires had been getting bad but Cesare had told him of his meeting with Tetsuya. The whole reason the two empires had been unsatisfied with each other had dissolved for their side. The tension between the empires would disappear as they stopped asking to meet Kuroko. And now the Nollet alliance was at his door asking him to aid in their war against the Hideaki empire. The reason they had declared war on the so much bigger empire was evidence of a contract with demons. Or so they said. But assuming that was the only and true reason they declared a war on the empire then he still didn't get why they thought that reason would satisfy him. The Borgias were after all known for intermarrying with demons. He could understand why that would be their reason. The Nollet Alliance had always had strong influence from the church whose main purpose was to eradicate demons. His wife was looking at him from the corner of her blue eyes.

His still young looking bride had come from the Nollet family. He knew he could count on her support if he decided to lend his help to the Hideaki empire. But would she be disappointed in him for choosing to go against her family. While the marriage between the two of them had mostly been improved because of the political power it would bring it had been requested in the first place for love. If there was anything he didn't want to do it was to make his wife unhappy but...how was he supposed to choose between his grandchild and the son of his dear daughter Lucrezia who was now dead and the family and home country of his much beloved wife. He couldn't do this. Lucrezia would roll over in her grave if he were to declare war on the empire her son was entitled to. He was pulled out of his brooding by the soft touch of his wife's hand on his arm. She directed a smile at him. In that moment he knew she understood his dilemma. She pulled her hand away again at the same moment redirecting her gaze towards the two king. Her melodious voice flooded through the hall.

"We refuse to go against the Empire where our grandchild resides. Family will always come first to the Borgia." The two kings looked slightly surprised at that. They'd obviously expected for the Borgias to decide to aid them. The smile slipped of Kor's face as Inan's face that before had simply been stoic grew cold.

"We see. We'll be leaving then. The next time we meet,those of the Borgia empire will be regarded as an enemy." Kor's voiced sounding grim and cold.

The royal pair simply nodded letting the other two kings know they had been dismissed.

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A blond man stood in the distance watching the destruction the Nollet Alliance was unleashing upon the Kuroko palace. His long hair flowed with the wind his sole companion observing his expression. The blond man looked to be about 22 years old. Crystal blue eyes had placed their judgement on the events,an aura of serenity surrounding him.

"They have harmed what I have gifted. The Church has finally overstepped its carefully estimated boundaries. We will protect the Kuroko line."

His black haired companion looked at him, red eyes reminiscent of blood. "You will allow for destruction?"

Blue eyes closed. "Yes, I will."

A smirk creeped upon his companions face, round pupils narrowing to thin slits. "Your verdict has been heard...Solomon."


	10. Chapter 10

After the attack had ended and the recently instated Empress had stared icily at the guards while sweetly uttering all things she would have done to them if they ran around like headless chicken the next time an attack happened on the palace - including but not limited to removal of intestines, beheading, hanging, starvation,...- the demons who had joined the attack had once again returned to their rooms where a surprising sight was waiting for them, Murasakibari munching on his sweets -which really wasn't all that astonishing-, Akashi lazing on the couch -which while a rare sight wasn't all that surprising-, and Kuroko and Mukuro playing what looked a rather complicated game of chess, in his adult form. Kiyoshi smiled awkwardly.

"So...how did this happen?" Mukuro looked up from the chess game.

"Well..."

2 HOURS AGO

The air in the tunnel was damp. The darkness spread in front of them, the small light that Kuroko had conjured only managing to illuminate a small amount of space. Their steps echoed in the distance and Mukuro couldn't help but wonder exactly how deep underground they were. The walls hinted they were in a cavern. From far away he could hear the rushing of water, the sound soft but constant. Was there an underground cavern with a river in the area? Mukuro didn't remember ever having heard about it, but then again if he had it would probably defeat the purpose of having an escape exit.

Their pace was steady but slow like they weren't secretly escaping. "Be careful, If you fall here it's a long way down." Kuroko's soft voice broke through the eerie rhythm of their own footsteps. Mukuro nodded to the words not truly registering his mind. He didn't notice Kuroko disappearing between the rocks, the body disappearing between the smallest of cracks. Only when the densest of darkness surrounded him did he realize that Kuroko was gone. The only thing he was able to see was inky blackness. The light that had accompanied Kuroko had gone with him. Softly he called out the other's name, almost afraid to break the fragile silence any further. No one responded. With an annoyed sigh he turned around. He would be able to get out with little trouble. He wasn't worried about that. Not bothering with conjuring a light he took a step forward...only to tense when he felt the ground disappear beneath his feet. Kuroko had warned him about this, hadn't he?

Allowing his child from to slip away so he could turn more power to the task of not falling he concentrated on manipulating gravity into believing he weighted nothing. Once he had managed that he concentrated on creating a breeze allowing himself to be drifted back towards the edge. Just as he was about to step onto the platform the darkness was once more chased away.

"Mukuro?" The aforementioned man's form tensed in the face of the throne prince appearance.

"Kufufu,well this is awkward." Silence.

"You're an adult." A nod.

"Who pretended to be a child." A nod.

"Who lived with me for weeks." Another slightly more hesitant nod now.

"Okay. Let's go." Kuroko turned around. Had he been nervous about the confrontation for this? Mukuro stared at the prince's back. He didn't trust Kuroko's reaction. It was most likely false.

"Aren't you angry?!" The younger boy looked back.

"Why would I be? You're still the same person as the one I told I love you this morning aren't you? Your appearance was fake but I don't believe the person I spent all that time with was fake as well. Are you going tell me I'm wrong to believe that?" The only sound left was the faint echo of Kuroko's voice and the constant rushing of water in the distant. He didn't answer. Kuroko smiled at him, a certain softness hidden away in the way his mouth corners turned up.

They continued on.

PRESENT

The two of them shared a look over the chess table. "...Kufufufufu, It's a secret." When the group of recently returned demons looked toward the other chess player he simply smiled and shook his head.

"It does not matter."

The demons shrugged. It probably wasn't important anyway.

"Okay then, It seems it was the Nollet Alliance that attacked, does that ring any bell? 'Cause we being demons all don't really know a lot about the upper world." For a moment Kuroko glanced up from the chess board. "You should know about them. Solomon once belonged to them..." At the mention of Solomon all demons tensed. Solomon was the favorite of the ruling court. Some even went as far as to say he was part of the ruling court. And truly he might as well be. The only thing stopping him from attaining the position was his lineage. As a being that while not quite human wasn't demon either it was impossible for him to gain the title. Kuroko carried on. "The Nollet Alliance is the name that was given to the union of five countries that have strong influence from the church. They have political and economic ties that hold them together. The country Eve holds the reigns in the Alliance, it's current leader being my great-grandmother. A full fledged nymph." The knight was moved forward. It was Mukuro's turn.

Akashi hummed. "What is your grandmother's name?" Nymph's were rare. There was no small chance that he had heard of her before. For a short moment Kuroko's eyes flicked up to meet his before he once more concentrated on the ongoing game. "Apel Nollet."

The red-head frowned. The name sounded familiar in his ears but he couldn't make out from where. Before he could question the boy further a certain blonde spoke up.

"So are they a serious threat?" Kise asked for confirmation. Kuroko nodded curtly. "Quite."

"What will your Empress do?" Hizaiki sneered. Mukuro's rook moved across the chess board seizing one of Kuroko's pawns.

Kuroko took a moment to answer. "She'll be violent in her response. They attacked us. She won't bother with negotiation."

"And what will you do?" The only red-head in the room questioned.

Another piece was moved. The King was thrust from the board.

"I'll do as I've always done. My best." He had been conquered by the Queen. The sound of the King falling echoed in the room.


	11. Chapter 11

The hall was beautifully decorated in the colors of the two empires in celebration of their alliance. In the middle of the hall was a long dining table which almost stretched across the whole hall. Servants were swirling around their hands full of heavy trays filled with food that probably consisted of ingredients that cost a commoner's monthly wage.

The table was lightened by twinkling witchlights and here and there a couple of pixies who raced across the hall before skidding to a stop when they reached their original starting point. There were however more than a few pixies who had decided they would remain by Kuroko's side. He suspected the elemental magic that saturated the air around him attracted them. Now and then they would steal a piece of fruit when a servant would whisk by with trays full of it. His counting told him they seemed to favor small fruit such as grapes and cherries but when managing to gather enough of their kind they tended to got for large pieces of fruit. He had seen a few melons drift by already.

Laughter and chatter filled the halls together with the tinkling sound of cutlery being used. It created together a mash of sound that Kuroko wouldn't call unpleasant simply for the warm feeling that accompanied the sound. Vaguely he remembered distant memories of his mother hosting similar feasts. They had stopped after she had died. The current table was filled with people of importance from both the Borgia empire and the Hideaki empire. Somehow he had managed to get both the demons and Mukuro in.

A pull on his sleeve pulled him back to the present. Mukuro was looking up at him from his left side. He was as a child. After all even if Kuroko knew his secret the rest of the court still believed the man to be a child. Which was probably for the best. He couldn't imagine Alexandra being all too forgiving of such deceit under the current circumstances.

"What is it?" He spoke softly to the illusionist. Mukuro gave him a look like it should be obvious.

"Your demons are attracting attention."

They were. Kuroko could hardly blame them for that. They were all obviously not human by the way the pixie avoided them like they were a deadly disease. It seemed that Pixies preferred creatures over demons. Tetsuya could get why by the way Kise was pulling on the wings of a Pixie he had managed to grasp. The Pixie's avoidance coupled with the demons beautiful appearances would get them more than a few looks.

Kuroko wondered if they were aware of the attention they were getting. It was rather likely, he thought. Itzal made a grumbling sound in his head that Kuroko was pretty sure meant he agreed. The raven familiar had been rather silent lately. It worried the prince. Surely he wasn't ill? It had been haunting his thoughts but it wasn't important at the moment.

With amusement he asked the small illusionist what he would have him do. The boy didn't answer. Kuroko suspected it was mostly because his answer wasn't proper in current company and repressed the soft smile that threatened to appear at that thought. While Mukuro was seated to his left side the demons surrounded him otherwise.

Alexandra had said that they were his guests and thus he should entertain them. He wondered what she would do if she were to realize that these men had originally been his father guests. So while he sat surrounded by demons the empress direct company consisted of the ruling couple of the other empire. He suspected she was uncomfortable since she used to work for them. It wasn't to be noticed though.

She wore her youth with pride and grace, making sure not a single emotion escaped her. So did the full nymph - who was his grandmother- and quarter elf - who was his only living grandfather - wear their own youthfulness. Still the differences between a full blooded creature were rather obvious. While Rodrigo Borgia looked young still that was all he could claim from his heritage. And whe he was saying young he meant around his thirties.

Nera Nollet on the other had not only her young looking appearance she also owned such magical power that it was tangible even from were he sat, on the almost complete opposite of the room. Not to mention her beauty. He had read in the books he had received from the demons that nymphs were know for their beauty but it still was quite different from actually seeing it. He wondered if he would appear the same to others once had reached his full maturity.

Kise, who sat opposite him seemed to have caught his thought. "You're already that beautiful Kuroko. You're going to become much much prettier." The prince scowled at him. Kise had told him he could feel what others were thinking about. Not the exact thoughts but enough to guess. To his surprise the only other member of the group with the same capabilities was Murasakibara. Both were also able to suggest thoughts and actions. Kuroku suspected it had to do with their races. As an Incubus and Nightmare such gifts would be useful. Speaking of Murasakibara he looked quite happy where he was sitting gorging himself on the sweets that she servants continued supplying.

In fact, now that he really bothered looking the only ones who really seemed to be enjoying themselves were Kise and Murasakibara. Haizaki and Aomine were mostly switching between making bets on the oddest things and spitting insults at each other when the other won. Midorima seemed to be simply watching his surroundings while Akashi and Kiyoshi were talking to each other in quiet tones.

That was something he had grown to notice in the group's dynamics. Everyone deferred to Akashi and if he wasn't around Kiyoshi. If somehow he had also managed to disappear Midorima would take the reins. If Midorima had also become thin air then ...then it was just chaos with everyone doing whatever they wanted. Kuroko had noticed it was a very bad thing when everybody just did what they wanted. Luckily such occasions had only happened twice in his presence.

Now when he entered the demons room and saw that none of the previously mentioned demons were around he simply turned around again, If he managed before one of them noticed that is. Once he had simply been snagged into the room by Kise. That had been a tearful occasion. On the demons part. Not his.

What he had also noticed was that except for Akashi, Kise, Aomine and surprisingly Murasakibara the demons tended to avoid contact with him. They respected his space and didn't say anything spiteful, well everyone except Haizaki, but they also didn't bother to find and try to make a connection. Which if he were to be honest he could understand. He probably wouldn't have bothered making a connection with any of the others if they hadn't been the first to approach. Besides it wasn't like they needed to be all friends and get along.

They were simply helping until his coming of age came along and they would leave again. Well, no, they would probably first threaten his dad into repaying his side of the contract and then they would leave again. Speaking of his father he hadn't seen him lately. Which was a rather strange experience. Normally he would see his father at least once a week even if it was just to receive a beating.

He knew his father didn't have the power to punish him anymore since he was now in a higher position. It was strange to know that for once his skin would be allowed to heal itself. Slowly the bruising had been lightening and while he couldn't quite say that he had no bruises they were lighter in color than they had been in years. He looked forward to looking in the mirror in a week or so and seeing no wounds for once. A few scars here and there but now actual wounds. Even now he was simply growing delighted by the thought.

Still to not even see his father was a strange thing. He hadn't been exiled or thrown in a cell as far as he knew. He also hadn't been banned from attending the weekly family dinners that they had on Friday evening. Sure, today he been forbidden to come to the feast but that was only to be expected. Because of him a war had almost started between the two empires.

Alexandra forbidden his father from coming simply out of fear that he might ignite that anger again with hateful remarks. Kuroko didn't think the man would have done that though. His father had always been one to care for the empire more than anything else. Even now that he wasn't the emperor anymore Kuroko doubted the man would have done anything that could have caused problems for the empire.

Now that he thought about it that was actually rather strange. Why would his father have refused contact between Tetsuya and the Borgia family when he knew he was risking a war by doing so? It didn't make sense. It wasn't anything like the man Kuroko had known his whole life. Sure, he could let the spite he held for his father rule his thoughts and say that it was because the man was an idiot, but Kuroko wasn't someone to let himself be ruled like emotions and he knew his father was smart. Genius smart almost. So what had driven him into doing what he had?

Before he could ponder further upon it, his thoughts were disturbed by the sound of high heels approaching the large doors at the end of the hall. His hearing had become a lot sharper lately. He tended to enjoy said improvement a lot but not when he could hear people making out through the walls. The high heels came to a stop in front of the doors.

Who could it be? All guests who were supposed to attend were already seated. He noticed the demons stiffening around him and the way their eyes flared up in unnatural colors for a second. Servants would use the small gateways that were littered across all the walls. Kuroko didn't have to wonder for much longer. The doors were pushed open.

Magical power rolled freely into the room. It had probably been what had set the demons off in the first place. The woman standing in the tall doorway was beautiful. Kuroko almost wouldn't have recognized her if it hadn't been for the way her green eyes were the exact same as his grandmother's eyes from the Borgia side. Apel. This was Apel Nollet. The languid way her magic touched his own might have told him who she was. Or his own magic's reaction to the touch. A shiver of pleasure rolled down his spine at the touch.

The woman smiled at him knowingly. Kuroko might have been embarrassed if he had been alone in his reaction but he hadn't been. Down the table he saw Nera, his grandmother, have the same reaction. It was likely that their magic was thrilled to be in company of someone's who's magic while so similar was so much more powerful then their own. And it was.

Where Nera's magic had been tangible from across the room Apel's magic filled the room to a degree where it was utterly oppressive to those who had little in the way of magic. Alexandra who was an experienced magic user seemed to be having a bit of trouble. Even Mukuro seemed to have been stilted a bit. The guards seemed to be unsure what to do.

Normally their Empress would have given them an order by now but she was having trouble simply sitting let alone talking. That left them to seek guidance from the actual emperor but Kuroko was quite unsure of what to do himself, between his magic's misguided attempts to get closer to the source of pleasure and his mind telling him that he didn't get paid enough to deal with this shit.

His father would have known what to do in a situation like this. That thought firmed his resolve. What his father could do so could he. Logically he should get the guests out but he doubted that Apel was here to attack. If she had been she wouldn't be here at all but safe in the distance overseeing how everything was going. Such was the way of royals. Play at war with lives that were seldom their own. It had been so for centuries. She wasn't here to fight.

But then for what was she here? Diplomatic reasons? It would seem strange to try for diplomacy now with an empire where she had launched the first attack. Not to mention he had noticed that it seemed to be mostly the king of Jubal who bothered with the public relations. Then the only thing she could be here was to make a statement. Maybe manipulate them in a mockery of diplomacy. A good thing then that he hadn't ordered for the guests to be removed. A statement would need an audience. He might actually have ignited her temper had he asked for the guests to be removed. Thus he ordered the guests at ease.

"Such a smart little boy." The queen cooed at him. She entered the room. The plants seemed to reach for her and for a moment Kuroko was reminded of her position as the factual ruler over five countries even if four of said countries pretended to have different rulers. Nollet had gotten such a position for a reason. It seemed her power as a nymph was one of them if even flora reached for her. What Kuroko did find strange was the way the pixies seemed to cower away from her. It made him wonder of her true character beneath that kind smile.

"My, what a party you have here. I would ask why I wasn't invited but I suspect I know the reason. Still that wasn't what I have come here for. I'm here to help you poor misguided humans." She let silence fill her words with meaning before adding on. " and other creatures." She had continued her walk through the room, her blond tresses leaving the scent of apples wherever she went.

"You see, I've noticed that you poor things seemed to have misconceived some things which was admittedly caused by some mistakes on my part." Her part. Not our part. She wasn't even bothering to acknowledge the others in the Alliance.

"I don't necessarily want war. In fact I only want a few thing. Someone would be more correct. I want the prince."

The silence that followed her words now was different from the previous one. Whereas the first had been to let them get accustomed to her presence this one served to allow them to properly register her words. She knew they hadn't been aware of the deal. Most definitely not that they were sitting with demons. But Kuroko had noticed the way her eyes were flitting from one face to the next. That her eyes hadn't been focused on anywhere in particular when she had said that. She didn't know. She didn't know who the demons were. He could still get them out of this mess.

The beautiful centuries-old creature continued her preaching. "But worry not, I'm here to help. I, the leader of the church, an organisation whose whole purpose is to eradicate demons and those who have made pacts with them. I can rid you of the demons if you simply hand your ruler to me." Her eyes landed on him. She smiled. He rose from his seat before the ruler of the Borgia empire could even get a word in. Sure, they had allied themselves with the Hideaki empire but Kuroko wasn't going to trust them with his fate.

"I'm afraid we'll have to refuse your offer however kind you might believe it to be. My father has been a good and rightful emperor during his reign. The people love him. Handing him over now would only bring a rebellion on our hands. "

For a moment her eyes seemed to change color and her aura that had already been oppressive pressed down upon them even further. Almost instinctively the demon's power rose as well. In reaction Kuroko heightened his own magic as well but he feared it be all for nothing. But it seemed she hadn't sensed the demons aura. Could it be that just as he was overly sensitive to her so she was to him causing his magic to have overridden the demons? The demons seemed to have caught up on his idea and lowered their aura while he allowed his own to continue rising slowly. Apel noticed nothing. She smiled sharply at him.

"Oh, but dear boy of mine. You don't know what you're saying. I can sense it on you, practically smell it. You're almost reaching full maturity, You are just stressed. You don't know what to do. Who will help you during such trying times? But don't worry Tetsuya. I take care of those who belong to my lineage. At least, as long as they don't betray me." Her eyes flickered to Nera. The Nymph looked terrified but willing to hold her ground. Kuroko had to respect her for it.

"Worry not, mother.." Nera practically spit "my family will take care of him without your poisonous hands needing to touch him." Kuroko carefully watched Apel's face while her daughter said these words to her and for a moment so short that Kuroko was convinced he had imagined it he saw a strange emotion flicker in her eyes. Then she averted her eyes looking back at him.

"What shall it be, Tetsuya? Will you remain by these fools side or will you come to mine?" For the first time in a long time Itzal spoke up. Don't . It was one word but it was enough for Kuroko.

"I've always had a weak heart for the fool in the Great Arcane." Apel smiled at him. She seemed a strange mix of disappointed and proud. It left Kuroko unsure of what to feel himself.

"I see, Then we shall meet again. But not before revealing who the demons are. In her hands appeared a globe. It was see-through. Or it it would have been if not for the smoke whirling inside.

"Once I break this orb, The demons true appearances will be revealed. As an extra present from me to you their magic will be sealed immediately. They will be as defenseless as lambs." She released the orb, her eyes following it's drop gleefully. Kuroko's eyes had switched focus the moment she had dropped it and with a quick wave of his hand he cast his spells, his own magic aided by Mukuro's not even a second later. The timing was precarious. Cast too soon and his efforts would be null. Cast too late and they might as well have been null.

Luckily for the demons Kuroko had been casting magic his whole life and his timing was perfect. The illusions settled the exact moment the orb broke causing the smoke's effect to be neutralized. Kuroko allowed a breath of relief to escape him. The demons were safe. Their appearances were the exact same as they had been before the orb broke. Apel had disappeared by the time he had raised his head to check. Immediately everyone was in motion their movements their own again without the oppressive aura.

"Guards, check everyone!" His stand-in screeched. More than on person winced at her tone.

"Kuroko!" The prince immediately went to Alexandra guiding Mukuro along. It seemed she simply wanted him by her side. To be reassured by his presence. He tended to have such an effect. Stress lines covered the entirety of her face. The guards soon had all the guest except those of the ruling families aligned. His demons were easily recognizable among the other people. His demons? From where had that come? No, matter it had probably been his protective feelings lingering after helping them. The demons stood last in the line. Kuroko supposed it was to be expected. Even if they were his guests they were of unknown lineage and held no position in any court unlike all the other guests who were of noble blood and fulfilled important functions. Alexandra looked completely exhausted. He took pity on her.

"Empress, you seem to be tired. Why don't you retire to your rooms where you can discuss today's happening with the royal pair of the Borgia empire. I'll oversee things here." She looked at him gratefully.

"Thank you, Tetsuya. You did great today."

With those words she retired to her rooms the Borgia couple eagerly following her. He was glad to see her go if he had to be honest. The captain of the guards looked at him asking for permission to start the check out. He gave his ascent. In his head he tried to place every person he pretended to screen for 'demon traits' in their rightful court, position and family. He was surprised by his own knowledge. Syoguke Hikaru, General of the army, part of his own court. Selene Yver, Grandmaster of the sword, part of the Borgia's court. Yuuki Kensuke, Headmaster of the Medical University, part of his own court, and so Kuroko continued and continued clearing them all until finally the demons stood before him.

Unsurprisingly Akashi went first. The kitsune seemed almost delighted when he was cleared by the captain and Kuroko. The prince suspected it was in the demon's nature to play pranks on people.

"Next." Kise.

"Next." Midorima.

"Next." Aomine.

"Next." Murasakibara.

"Next." Kiyoshi. Kuroko smiled. They were almost done.

"Next." Haizaki. Oh. Oh no. He had messed up. Everything about the demon looked human. Except his eyes. The eyes looked like liquid silver, the pupils changed into small slits.

"Arrest him." He heard the captain speak. Kuroko shook his head. All the guards immediately turned to him.

"Sir?" The captain asked hesitantly. Kuroko smiled at him. It was more to assure himself as to assure the captain.

"He has a medical condition. He's human. He's clear." The captain sniffed, his eyes full disbelief.

"Sir, Are you kidding me? It's obvious he's not human!"

"Do NOT raise you voice at me. You seem to have forgotten that Alexandra Garcia is simply my regent. I am your emperor. Would you doubt your emperor's words?" Kuroko practically spat at the man. The man lowered his head. Kuroko refused to allow himself to enjoy that feeling of ruthless domination.

"Sir, Of course not, Sir."

"Good, in that case I will be taking my leave." He left. The demons followed him and Mukuro had never left his side in the first place. He resisted the urge to ruffle the kid's head. Mukuro was after all, not a kid.


	12. Chapter 12

A sigh escaped from his lips. The ten minute break he had ordered was almost over. Kuroko had already been in a meeting with the council for ten hours. He had demanded breaks every two hours but even with that it was starting to get a bit much. He continued his travel back to the meeting hall. Silently he moved through the halls. Since Nollet had managed to infiltrate the palace the security had been upped. Guards could be found roaming the hallways everywhere. There were still places like here where no guards came. Probably because the existence of these hallways were forgotten by all but the imperial family. That was the way it was supposed to be. These halls weren't secret escape ways. Their purpose was more along the lines of allowing the Imperials safe and quick movement within the castle itself.

It was not to say that only the those who were related to the throne could walk these halls but more that the confusing lay out of the palace caused these paths to be almost impossible to find. Just the way the imperial family had liked years ago.

Now even those of the crown didn't know about these halls. They had fallen out of favor with the imperial family for how hard to reach they were. Not to mention that a lot of the emperors and empresses had liked the attention they received by walking through the common halls. Now only Kuroko knew of them.

He had discovered them years ago. The guidance of an imaginary friend leading him there. At the time he had wanted the privacy and silence these halls provided. The death of his mother had been just a few weeks ago and the withdrawal from his father combined with the pitying looks of the guards and the maids had almost done him in. More so then the sight of his father killing his mother might have done. He didn't remember it. Seeing it. It was likely that his mind had wiped the occurrence from his memory.

It didn't feel right though. To forget his mother's last living moments. Even if those moments were the ones she was violently killed in. His mother had been bright. She deserved to have every moment of her life remembered. His imaginary friend had told him some things were meant to be forgotten. That used to make him feel better. Until his grandmother told him the beautiful blond man was just a particle of his imagination. The blond man had been surprised at first, the next time Kuroko saw him. He'd been amused when Kuroko told him he didn't exist and that Kuroko would thus be ignoring him from then on. He'd been less amused when he realized Kuroko actually meant it. His fictional companion had appeared for a few more weeks every day. After that the visits became less and less until they stopped.

Somehow that had devastated Kuroko. He knew that the man was just in his imagination but somewhere in his heart he'd always felt that at least Sol cared for him. Shortly thereafter Itzal had come to his side. The raven had made him feel slightly better but the recent loss of two of his most important people, fictional or not, had continued to eat at him.

Now and then Tetsuya would still dream of the beautiful male with his strange wisdom. Unlike in reality Kuroko didn't refuse to acknowledge Sol in his dream. Dreams were innocent after all. The relief that had filled Sol's gaze the first time he realized that Kuroko would talk to him in dreams had almost been overbearing. It had made the blue-headed child feel guilty.

Until now Kuroko still remained to dream about him. In fact this night had been such an occurrence.

Kuroko opened his eyes, immediately recognizing the dark bedroom for what it was. He was lying on the bed, Sol lying next to him on his side, the green eyes fixated on his face. The blond seemed to be greedily drinking in Kuroko's features, his long hair spilling over his sides.

"Tetsuya." The man said in greeting. The prince allowed a small smile to grace his lips.

"Sol." The man's lips turned up at hearing the name. It had always amused him when Kuroko called him that. As a child Kuroko hadn't been able to pronounce the man's actual name. Sol had given him reprieve and allowed for his name to be abbreviated to its current form. Now Kuroko couldn't even remember what the fictional man had originally been called. He had always found it strange that he would name his imaginary friend something he couldn't pronounce.

"Your beauty has grown. Itzal tells me many thing have happened since my last visit and I have seen the attack the Nollet Empire had instigated against you. There will be no more beatings?"

The blue headed prince simply nodded. A smile made its appearance on Sol's face.

"That's wonderful." For a moment the two remained silently. Sol pulling Kuroko into his side and tucking his face into his chest allowing his own chin to rest on the boy's head.

"Itzal tells me you have made contact with demons." He spoke. Kuroko simply hummed.

"You're coming into your creature inheritance tomorrow night. What a dear one you'll be. I've always liked muses. Most races like muses. They're very welcoming by nature."

His hand was softly drawing circles on the blue head's small back.

"Do you like your demons?" The man quietly asked. For a moment the boy in his arm tensed. He continued trailing with his hands and eventually Kuroko's body relaxed again.

"I do. They try to be kind to me." Sol smiled.

"I see. They try. Do they succeed?" The blond asked while lowering his head, pressing his face into Kuroko's neck.

"They…try. Kise, Kiyoshi, Aomine and Murasakibara succeed in their efforts. Akashi does not seem to know the meaning of kindness but he treats me gently and without insults. Midorima is kind in his own way. His personality doesn't allow him to show forms of affection but he is polite. As for Haizaki….He refuses to respect. The others make sure that I'm not left alone with him though I do not think he would go against Akashi's order of not hurting me in any form. They all respect him."

Sol's chuckle sounded against his ear.

"They do not only respect him. They fear him. Rightfully so. Akashi belongs to the Kitsune race which is one of the highest standing races when it comes to strength. That he is the most powerful of such a class would instill fear even in the classes above him. Kiyoshi for example is a demon god. Class wise this would put him a few stands higher than Akashi but his powers are actually slightly weaker."

For a moment he was silent. Then he continued speaking.

"That is not to say that the other demons in the group are weak. Aomine is also the highest ranking amongst his class of Tengu. Kise stands only second amongst the race of the succubae. Midorima is far more powerful than what is normal for a yuuki-onna but since normally they are only mid-level demons this puts him on a similar level to the other demons in the group. Murasakibara also holds the rank of first as does Haizaki. Their group is well-respected and feared throughout hell."

For a few minutes both remained silent, just lying still in the other's embrace. A noise in the distant called Sol's attention. He smiled softly at Kuroko.

"It seems it is you time to leave. Goodbye Kuroko."

Before Kuroko could say anything he already felt his vision fading, the sensation of satin and Sol's touch disappearing. Just before he completely fell away he heard Sol's voice coming through the darkness.

"Visit me once you're changed."

Then his sense of hearing fell away as well.

Somehow Sol's parting words unsettled Kuroko. Likely because they suggested that Sol actually existed.

A few minutes later he had found his way back to the meeting room. The advisor's all stood at his arrival, inclining their heads in respect. Kuroko motioned for them to sit down. Just as he was about to do so the doors were thrown open with force. More than they should probably endure. Poor doors.

"Kurokochhi!"

Tetsuya wasn't able to react before he was suddenly lifted into the air. The incubus smiled brightly at him from the ground. Kuroko stared blankly at him.

"Tomorrow will be your inheritance . Are you nervous?" The blank stare continued. "I guess not then. Let's go then, Akashichhi wanted to see you."

With those words he put the bluenette under his arms and skipped off. The council watched with disbelieving eyes as their ruler was taken away in the middle of a meeting. Before anyone could protest the doors where already slammed close again. One of them started crying. It had been a long day for all them. War did that to you.

When Kise reached the demon's quarters with Kuroko still in his arms, he kicked the door happily open. Only to immediately jump aside as a pair of scissors came roaring by his side.

"Ryouta. Do not kick the door open again."

A certain redhead said from the corner of the room. He was sitting on the couch with Murasakibara's head in his lap. The Nightmare had turned slightly to view the intruders. When he saw the prince in Kise's hands he shot up.

"Kuro-chin." He said brightly. Before Kuroko had even realized it the hands which were holding him had been replaced by larger ones. The boy smiled up at the gentle giant.

"Hello Murasakibara. How have you been?" he inquired politely.

"Good." Lately the Nightmare was always excited to see him. It warmed Kuroko's heart to see someone made so happy by his presence. He was swung around for a couple more seconds before Akashi finally ordered for him to be put down. Kuroko smiled gratefully at the red head.

Before he could questions his summons a certain demon entered the chamber from on of the side-rooms. He smiled gently when saw Kuroko. Murasakibara hadn't been the only who had come to appreciate his company. In fact all of the demons had warmed up slightly to him since what happened at the feast. The only exception was Haizaki. However that was expected. He had messed up there.

He honestly was surprised that any of the demons had warmed up to him. He hadn't done it because he wanted their gratitude. He had done it because they were staying as his guests and they were helping him. It was only natural for him to help them when the need arose. Having them outed as demons would give him just as much problems as them if not more.

"Hey Kuroko." Kiyoshi said, ruffling his head. The blue head smiled up at him. The brunette led him to the couch. When they were all seated Kuroko spoke up.

"I suspect you called me to talk about tomorrow." The red head nodded.

"Indeed. You said you were born around six in the evening so we will come to collect you at half six. If you're not ready then no matter the reason, I will have Aomine drag you with us. After we have completed the ceremony with you we will be gone for a while. Our magic will need to be cleansed after coming in contact with yours so rawly. Since the natures of our magics differ so greatly it could otherwise become unhealthy for us." He stopped for a moment to take a breath. Kuroko knew it was simply a habit. Demons didn't need to breathe after all.

"We'll be leaving you with another group while we do this. Your magic will be simply to unstable to be left on your own. Your grandmother won't be able to handle it on her own. The group you'll be left with will be powerful enough to guide you in anything you may need. " Kuroko hummed.

That was fine with him. The war had grown cold on both fronts after Apel's visit. Their side was furiously searching for demons among it's ranks while the other side simply seemed to enjoy their scrambling. Kuroko would probably have found it funny too if it wasn't his side that was doing it. He was glad the other side wasn't taking advantage of their panic. He wasn't sure why though. In fact he was pretty sure the Nollet Alliance was waiting for something. He just wasn't sure what. He sighed.

"I'm fine with it. If you have nothing else to say I will retire to my rooms. The council has kept me up for ten hours straight with their insistent prattling. I desire to sleep."

With a look at Murasakibara and Kise he added.

"With no dreams." Akashi eyed the the Nightmare and Incubus coldly while nodding his assent to Kuroko's leave. With a relieved sighed the boy left the charged room. He felt sorry for getting those two into problems but the strange dreams about oddly flavored sweets were getting too much for him. And then he wasn't even speaking about the sexually loaded dreams Kise had been sending him. Last night had been the first night in a week that his sleep hadn't been disturbed by them.

He entered his chambers. The living room was devoid of any sign of life. That meant that either Mukuro had thrown himself in the bed or he was bathing. He somewhat doubted the first option since it was only eight in the evening. A peek into the bathroom told him that he was indeed in the bath. Or swim pool as Mukuro also liked to call it. The illusionist was in his adult form. Kuroko wondered if this was his real form.

"Mukuro. " He called out." The man's eyes fixated themselves upon him once Mukuro heard him. Kuroko smiled softly at him.

"I'll be retreating to bed. The meeting has tired me out. Goodnight." He turned around, ready to leave the room. Mukuro's voice stopped him.

"Wait…..Would you like to join me?" For a moment Kuroko hesitated. He really was tired. He doubted however that Mukuro would want him to join for no reason. He probably wanted to talk about something. The water would slightly refresh his body. He sighed.

"Sure."

Quietly he slipped out of his clothes, ignoring that the mage's eyes were on him the whole time. Slowly he entered the body of water, immediately feeling the effect the water had on his body. Water's influence on him had been growing lately. As had been his influence on water. His powers were rising. He suspected it was because he was so close to magical maturity. The magic in his body was ripe, tantalizing the water.

The moment his entire body had been lowered into the water Mukuro moved closer to him. Kuroko found it sweet, the way Mukuro found comfort in physical closeness to him.

He smiled at the older male. Mukuro returned a smirk. For a few minutes they both remained silent, simply enjoying the other's company while Kuroko slowly regained his vitality, the water energizing him. Kuroko leaned against Mukuro's shoulder. For a moment the illusionist tensed but slowly his muscles lost their tautness again.

It took a few more minutes before the silence was finally broken.

"Your awakening will be tomorrow, excited?"

Kuroko frowned.

"No. Afraid, maybe. My life will likely be changing a lot. I will be changing a lot."

Mukuro hummed but it sounded distant and aloof. Kuroko's frown deepened.

"Of course there will also be that which doesn't change. I expect that you will continue to accompany me. Unless you're unwilling to prolong our acquaintance?"

Mukuro buried his head into the prince's shoulder hiding the smirk that had appeared on his face. He hadn't needed to. Kuroko could feel it on his skin.

"Kufufufu,No, I think I could stand to enjoy your company a bit longer." Kuroko smiled softly, ruffling the older man's dark blue hair. So that was what he had been worried about. That Kuroko would abandon him after his change. Mukuro should have known better than that by now, shouldn't he? What could he do to instill more trust in Mukuro about their companionship? Slowly an idea formed in his head. He proposed it to Mukuro.

"Mukuro, would you like to exchange magic?" The mage's head shot up from Kuroko's shoulder, his eyes wide.

"I- Are you sure you would want to do that?" The exchange of magic was a highly controversial ritual. You exchanged a small piece of your own magic with that of someone else. It was a procedure that in the past had been regularly used amongst those who wanted to deepen their relationship and magic.

The danger in the ritual was that if the other had even the slightest of ill intend towards you their magic would immediately poison your own and you would die before the ritual could even be finished.

The high risks were repaid by several things. You would have a better grasp on the other's emotions, you would get their aptitudes in magic, your magic reservoir would grow as if their own had been added to yours, and lastly you would easily be able to have yourself brought to whatever location the other was.

Kuroko smiled at him.

"I am." For a moment Mukuro was looking quite dubiously at him. Then tentatively he nodded.

"Okay."

Kuroko stood from the water, walking out of the room. A minute later he returned, two goblets and two athames in his hands. He handed one of the goblets and ceremonial knives to Mukuro.

"You need to concentrate your magic on the athame as you cut your wrist, carefully guide your magic from it to the blood as it flows into the cup."

Doing as he had said, Mukuro made a quick slice across his wrist concentrating on circulating his magic through his blood. Kuroko carefully watched for the shimmer of magic and was satisfied when he found it.

Slower than Mukuro he dragged the knife across his wrist, guiding the magic from his athame to the blood that was smoothly filling the cup. Whereas Mukuro's magic was colored a dark blue with a purple shimmer his own was colored a soft baby blue with a silver glow. Magic truly was beautiful .

Once both flows had stemmed, Kuroko explained the next part. He wasn't sure if Mukuro actually needed the explanation as he had lived far longer than Kuroko had but the illusionist didn't seem like the type to perform these kind of rituals.

"Next we need to clink the cups against each other strongly enough that some of the blood in my cups falls in yours and opposite."

Forcefully they allowed the goblets to clash against each other , the dark red fluids easily spilling over into the other cup. They ignored the blood that fell into the water.

Kuroko smiled dryly at the other magic user.

"And now we drink." Mukuro didn't even hesitate slightly and Kurko grimaced as he swallowed the blood that was infused with both his and Mukuro's magic.

They felt it almost immediately, the cup falling to the water, as magic not their own raced through their systems, hijacking their bodies and then crashing with their own cores of magic. It was like being struck like lightening and for a moment Kuroko feared he would lose conscious. Then it passed and the magic that just a second ago had violently been wrecking through their bodies, eased and stilled, serenely fusing with their own magic.

They felt the change almost immediately. They could feel the connection both in mind and magic. It was wonderful. Kuroko smiled at Mukuro. For once Mukuro genuinely returned it.

After that they didn't remain long in the water since it had been stained with their blood. They both went to bed, Kuroko allowing for Mukuro to slip an arm around his waist. It didn't take long for both of them to slip away, their bodies and mind tired from the new bond. For once Kuroko slept with no dreams.

The next day Kuroko woke late in the afternoon and he took it as proof of just tired he had been. Mukuro had already disappeared somewhere again like he always did. Most likely to the library. There were apparently a lot of books that Mukuro hadn't encountered before so Kuroko had allowed him full access to it once he learned of Mukuro's interest in it.

Slowly he dressed, taking comfort in the motions. Today would be the day he would go through his creature inheritance. Today was his birthday. Once he left his bed room he saw that a meal had been left for him on the table. Silently he ate it. He glanced at the piano. It had been a long time since he had last played it. His mother had been the one who taught him. It was one of the few connections with her he had left. He should play. He suspected it would be a long time before he would get the chance to play again.

Finishing his meal, he stood. Carefully he sat down on the piano bench. For a moment his fingers hesitated over the keys. A small smile appeared on his face. He allowed his fingers to press the first key, the sound filling the room. His smile broadened. Soon the room was filled with music of a decade ago. Music long forgotten by nobles but that would never be forgotten by him. He wasn't sure how long he had played. He was interrupted by a small cough stopping him in the middle of a crescendo.

"You play beautifully. She taught you well."

Kuroko stared at his father, his eyes wide. His father stood in the doorway, some sort hesitance in his stance as he looked at Kuroko with this soft look in his eyes. It was moments like these that he had grown to hate the most in the relationship between him and his father. Not when his father would beat his body down into the ground but when he would come sit with him and talk to him in a soothing voice. When he acted as he had before the accident.

In the first few years after his mother's death he had cherished these moments. Reminded himself with them that his father still loved him. But as the visits became rarer and the beatings grew in frequency he had started realizing that the man sitting next to him acting as if he had done nothing wrong was the same man who would whip him without any apparent reason.

"Yes?" Kuroko finally voiced.

"You'll be 17 in over an hour." Kuroko nodded, not quite sure where the other was going with this. Sure, his dad had always celebrated his birthday with him even after the accident but surely he realized that with both a war raging outside and Kuroko's magical maturity they wouldn't be celebrating this year?

His father looked to the ground seemingly gathering his courage before speaking again.

"I promised myself a few years ago that I would tell you the true reason of your mother's death when you reached your magical maturity."

Kuroko stared at his father numbly. The true reason? What did he mean the true reason? Hadn't he simply lost control of his temper like he always did? But his father never did lose his temper when he beat him, did he? In all the beatings he had gotten his father had always calmly abused his body. Never had he actually lost control. Had he ever even been truly angry?

"I need to show you why I did what I did. If you will follow me..." His father moved away out of the doorway back into the hallway. For a moment Kuroko hesitated. His demons would arrive soon. When had they become his? If he went with his father he was not only mostly likely to miss the demons he would also be unlikely to make it back before the exact time of his birthday leading to him being without assistance when he went through the change. But he had made up his mind. He wanted to know the reason behind his mother's death.

Slowly he stood up heading towards the hallway. What was the worst that could happen? Far worse than you think, Itzal whispered in his mind. But the whisper was weak and Kuroko's need to know the reason behind his mother's death was not.

He should have listened to Itzal. He really should have.


	13. Chapter 13

His father had a certain way of moving. A swift gait. Kuroko remembered it having been filled with confidence. Now the only thing in it seemed to be an desperate urgency. The drift of a madman. Kuroko had never noticed the change in movement. He should have. Maybe if he had he would have noticed his father's slipping. The descent from a powerful self-assured emperor to this unbalanced shell of a man. Maybe the beatings wouldn't have escalated the way they had. Maybe his father would have recovered of wife's death. Of his sins.

The presence of the demons had only worsened his father. Kuroko knew it to be an effect of the unpaid contract. It was taking its due. Emptying his father's soul until it was as desolate as the hallways his father was leading him through.

For a while now the halls they had been moving through had been bereft of people. They were now in a part of his home Kuroko had never been before, and if he were to be honest Kuroko had never even realized the palace ran this deep underground. Kuroko hoped that wherever his father was taking him they would be there soon. The time he was supposed to meet with the demons was already long past and when he unfurled his senses, he felt the demons already having started to search the palace for him. He had send Itzal to hinder them but their was only so much the summon could achieve against seven powerful demons.

The man in front of him slammed another pair of doors open. Then he came to an abrupt halt causing for Kuroko to almost bump into him. The room they were in was massive and if Kuroko had to make a comparison he would say it was about as big as the ball hall. There was not a single light in the chamber yet it was completely illuminated. Kuroko soon saw how, his eyes wide.

Stretched across the room was a massive magic circle, its lines casting a haunting light on the surroundings. There were seven focus points, each a different color. He recognizex each of the demons their points. The magical power and skill that was required for this circle was unbelievable. It was immense. Not to mention the complexity of it.

The circle required different powers to work but the simple task of combining all those different natured magics alone was daunting. No human could this. The simple genius of the circle was...amazing. Kuroko now understood what Solomon had meant when he had called them one of the most powerful groups. Tentatively he reached with his own power out to the circle. It shone brighter in response. That seemed to draw his father's attention. With wide eyes the man took in the bright shine of the demonic magic.

"It reacts positively to your magic." Kuroko's eyes flickered up from the magic to meet his father's. Bloodshot eyes stared back at him, the pupils so far expanded that they managed to cover the entirety of the irises. The light of the room was reflected in a thin film of sweat that hadn't been there a few minutes ago. Kuroko swallowed. His father's eyes greedily followed the movement. Kuroko tried to ignore the tight feeling in his chest.

"Don't you see Kuroko? I needed to do it for the empire. To assure peace. Your mother would have agreed to it. The circle wouldn't work wihtout a sacrifice. "

Kuroko blinked at his father's raving. Once. Twice. The dots met. Slowly he spoke to his father.

"You sacrificied my mother to activate a ritual circle . A circle that filters all negative from the Empire." The man before him chuckled.

"Got it all in one go. Everything except one little detail." The man moved closer causing for Kuroko to step back. Magic shot up around him. As he looked down at the source of the sudden magic his eyes widened. He was trapped. In the circle's sacrifice. His wide eyes met those of his father.

"The circle requires a new sacrifice every ten years. I couldn't though. Bring myself to sacrifice you. Not after Lucrezia. She was lovely. Loved you. And me. Me too of course. " For a moment the man stared a his hands, his eyes unfocused.

"She loved you a lot." Kuroko uttered softly. His father's head snapped up at the words. A smile too wide for his features made its appearance on his face.

"She did, didn't she? Loved me so muuuch~" He tittered. Then as abrupt as its appearance the smile vanished.

"Until I betrayed her. Beat her bloody, I did. Then she stopped. It stopped. She stopped loving. It stopped beating. Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Then silence. The beating was so loud. So Very Loud. But the silence, the silence that came after it..." He looked Kuroko straight in the eye, pronouncing each and every word of his next sentence carefully and clearly as if afraid that Kuroko wouldn't understand it otherwise. Understand the importance of it.

"It. Was. Earpiercing." A needle could have dropped in that moment.

"You'll stop loving too. Once you're dead. But you stopped a long time ago, didn't you?" The former emperor's eyes regained their focus as he said the last part, just for a second. Kuroko wanted to cry at it.

"I never could bring myself to do it. I loved you so much. Mom always thought I didn't care for you but one look of those big blue eyes of yours and I succumbed. You were my treasure. I sacrificed my wife. I sacrificed my soul, heart and sanity.I had sacrificed enough for an Empire that barely appreciated it. No matter the circle. I wouldn't sacrifice you, the only thing left. Then she came. A seer. Warned me that living would prove far more painful for you than being sacrificed. I ignored her words."

A thin sheen of tears was starting to gather at his eyes.

"But then there were moments were I would lose time and when I became aware again you would lay beneath me drenched with blood. The same blood that would be covering my hands. It made me ill but she had told me. That I would start beating you. That I would lose my grip on sanity."

He closed his eyes.

"But I couldn't kill you. Not my baby boy. I ignored it, told myself it was simply coincidence. But then, again, just as she had predicted, the Nollet alliance declared war on us ...and I realized that her next prediction would be right as well but I decided to wait and see. She made four premonitions maybe if the third didn't come true the fourth wouldn't either. Yet you did challenge me for the throne and you did become Emperor. So I started planning and now here we are."

He opened his eyes again.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry Tetsuya and I love you so so very much, you couldn't even image." The last part was muttered, pupils losing focus. Kuroko thought that maybe, just maybe it was a defense mechanism against what was about to happen.

The circle pulled hungrily at his magic, lovingly, almost as if it recognized him. The dark magic coyly caressed his own, creating shivers along his spine as his magic bucked up into the pleasure. Kuroko bit down on his lips, silencing the moan that had been working it's way up. It was so tempting to just give in to the feeling of the dark magic clutching at his own, to just ride out the bliss. He dug his nails sharply into his palms, drawing blood. The sharp stab of pain managed to anchor him.

Kuroko didn't bother with resistance. The circle was too well made to allow the sacrifice any option of escape. Trying to concentrate fully he shook his head, the way a wet dog would. He send a signal to Itzal with the hope that he would be able to lead someone here.

His father seemed to be completely out of it and had started talking rapidly to himself. Kuroko wondered if it was normal to feel so despondent to his own imminent demise. He suspected not. Maybe he was in shock. Maybe it just didn't surprise him that the man who had killed his mother would now kill him. Somehow though he was grateful to know that his father had truly loved him.

As the minutes passed Kuroko tried to keep his eyes wide, ignoring the growing black spots. The blissfully dark magic was softly embracing him, moving against his own magic in the most sinful of ways. He could hear it now. It whispered sweet nothings in his ears, sounding both incredibly close and far. Soothing him. Brushing against him. Kuroko didn't manage to restrain his moan this time. The magic seemed to swell in delight at the noise and the grip it had on him grew even tighter. Kuroko didn't resist when it finally lulled him into the warm darkness of its embrace.

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Kise wasn't sure where he was heading. He was just going on instinct right now. His senses were being flooded with the feeling of hesitance and self-doubt. In the mix of those two, almost impossible to detect was another scent. That of bloomed madness. While hesitation and self-doubt were the last emotions Kise would ever associate with Tetsuya something about the sweet, fresh scent reminded him undeniably of the prince.

He could be wrong,in fact he was almost certain he was wrong but... His instincts were telling him that this was the person he was searching for. That sweetness...

The rotting cloying stench of madness didn't belong to the same person. It had a more sour undertone with hints of sweetness in it. But where the sweetness of the first had made him flare his power and feelings,eager to touch and hold, the second made him shrink away in distaste.

A series of loud noises made his concentration on the scent waver. In the distance he could hear the sound of screaming. The sound of blades clashing and the feeling of attack and defense magic being evoked. When he concentrated he could pick up the sound of orders being given and guards being dispatched. Combined with the scent of blood reaching his nose it made his eyes flash.

It was then that he felt it. His own and the other's power rising steadily with the distinct feeling of sacrificial rites. And ever so faintly, barely noticable if he weren't the one of the casters for the circle, the magic of the victim was bleeding through. The distinct magic of a human tinged with other. Kuroko. That was Kuroko's magic.

He wasn't sure why that knowledge such a strong flare of panic through him. Why it made feelings race to the surface, all of them powered on by desperation. He didn't stop to think about it though. His body flew into motion, feet moving on a hazy memory of the sacrificial circle's location. It didn't matter though. Even if he reached the room in time he wouldn't be able to do anything. He wasn't able to undo the circle even if he wanted to do so. He had never cared for this area of magic. Never bothered learning anything about it. He only knew how to parcipate in a circle. Not how to create one or undo one. Akashi and Midorima were the experts on this. His body didn't care though. He kept moving, faster and faster. He needed to save Kuroko. He didn't know why but he needed to. He absolutely needed to save him. No matter the cost.

When Kise burst into the room he didn't know what to expect. Whatever he had expected it hadn't been this. The lost laughing of an insane man on his knees crying with so much fervor it reminded him of a dying man puking his organs out. The glow of his own magic reflecting at him. The old energy of his lovers magic butting enthusiastically against his own. The circle he and his brothers had spent weeks developing. The stillness of the frame captured in it. It made he himself grow still. Fearful that if he moved the scene he saw would become real. This wasn't supposed to happen. Kuroko was supposed to join their group. Their circle. He was supposed to fill the role that had long been left empty. Of the youngest. Of the only not demon. Of the only capable of innocent love.

Kuroko wasn't supposed to be used as a sacrifice in a circle that had long stopped serving it's purpose. A circle that was part of a contract with his father. Tetsuya wasn't supposed to die like this. As just another sacrifice for just another empire that would be conquered by just another army one day.

He himself wasn't supposed to grow attached to people who could die anymore. Not after...after who? He couldn't do this again. Not again. Do what again?

Then he was sinking to his knees, hands pressed to his ears as a roar shook the palace.


	14. Chapter 14

Momoi woke with tears running down her cheeks, her mouth dry as if filled with smoke. An ominous feeling urged her to sit up. She had retired early that evening as she had been overcome with nausea earlier. It hadn't been the contents of her stomach trying to worm it's way out of her throat that had woken her though. She had a feeling. A bad feeling. Something was happening. It had to be. A flashback of red, red fire and howling wind spurring it on combined with memories of not being able to breath as the heat crawled closer. Momoi laid down again, closed her eyes tightly and for the first time in 10 years pulled the teddy bear her mother had made for her close to her chest. She only hoped her father would be alright. Her father and Tetsuya. That was all she asked. 'Please Gods, don't let me down again.' she thought desperately to herself, with a sinking feeling that her prayer may have already been too late.

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Solomon was quite angry. Infuriated really. He had it all planned, so very very carefully. He had been quite miffed when he discovered that the Emperor was making a pact with those demons. The fact that he didn't immediately complete his side of the deal was especially worrisome. In the end his misgivings hadn't been without reason. It wasn't long before the emperor's sanity started slipping and before long it was Tetsuya who paid the price of his father's madness. It had displeased him greatly but there was at that moment little he could do to help. The court wouldn't have accepted a human child in their midst no matter their affection for himself. He also was still suspicious of some in the court after what happened. He couldn't have trusted them with Tetsyuya. So he was forced to watch his friend suffer through, his ability to offer comfort to the blue-headed prince greatly diminished once the boy started labeling him as a figment of his imagination.

Unsurprisingly the boy had pulled through, the harshness of his life having sharpened his skills .Then they arrived. Luckily the demons 'lapse of memory' made sure that it didn't cause to much of a shift in his plans. He had suspected they wouldn't cause too much trouble for his favorite prince. If they did...Well, Tetsuya could always draw on Itzal. It was why Solomon had sent the raven spirit to Tetsuya in the first place. The impromptu war-declaration from the Nollete- Alliance however did disturb him.

Sure they said it was because they had evidence of a contract with demons but Solomon didn't need to be a clairvoyant to know that the real reason laid elsewhere. After the devastating loss of her twin brother Apel had loosened her strict view of contract with demons significantly. As long as you didn't ask for world domination the Nollet Alliance couldn't care less if people made contracts. Solomon hadn't been the only one who had been devastated by the loss of his best friend. Apel had lost her brother. His dead had ruined her. For some time it seemed like it wouldn't take long before she would join him in the grave. Solomon had wanted to talk with her about him. Cry with her about him. Mourn him like he deserved with the only other person who had cared as much for him as Solomon had. The impossibility of the situation had made the grieving process all the harder. The knowledge that he couldn't honor his friend's memory for Solomon and Apel stood on different sides.

He was sure of it. Apel knew. It made him suspicious of his surroundings. He hadn't told anyone what he had done. So had Apel discovered? But how would she have? He had told no one of what he had done. Absolutely no knew that even demons would be horrified and disgusted by it. Sometimes, out of the corners of his eyes, he had noticed Lucifer looking at him with this knowing look. Lucifer had looked grieved yet consoled with it. He after all had cared for him as well. Solomon hadn't cared that what he had done was seen as the blackest of magic. The most malevolent. That it would forever corrupt his own pure magic. Any price was worth it. None was too high and he had achieved what he had intended. Only now there were complications. Unexpected ones. That was acceptable. Solomon had been blessed with wisdom for a reason after all.

Even though the current problems were rather unexpected Solomon had taken safety measures ages ago. Lucifer had looked quite curious when had requested the other for support in the protection and guidance of a human bloodline. It was only because the demon was interested in Solomon's motives that he had agreed. When after a few centuries still nothing had happened the fallen angel had lost his interest.

Solomon hadn't really expected to need the demons under his patron's control. The Kuroko line had little interest in war and generally only sought to improve their empire. Frankly they were some of the most humane rulers Solomon had witnessed in his experiences. It was less about power with them. They cared about their subjects. This caused for very little discontent among the common folk as well so worries for an uprising were also none-existent.

The Borgias had been more worrisome for they seemed to thrive on war for a long time. Their manner of ruling had also left much to be desired and it had been often that Solomon had feared that Lucrezia wouldn't live to see her teenage years let alone bear the child he needed her to.

When she had married the prince of the Kuroko line he had breathed a sigh of relief. When her belly grew to make space for the child he had waited with baited breath. When she had delivered it and he sensed the soul inside of it he cried. It was all paying off. Centuries of work and he was so very close to reaping his reward.

Things had gone awry after that. Lucrezia's death had only been the beginning. He had hoped he wouldn't need to make a direct interference. Itzal's urgent message had dashed those hopes. The Nollet Alliance was attacking with all they had, Apel growing desperate to get at Tetsuya. And his boy, his friend was in risk of dying by a sacrificial rite created by those filthy demons. His best friend was in risk of dying, once more by their hands.

No, Solomon had never expected to make use of the monsters that lay at the Devil's feet. Now however Solomon would be making full use of the demonic forces that Lucifer held under his control. At nightfall, it was a wall of fire that set the horizon line ablaze.

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Flowers. He could smell flowers. He was laying softly on the ground. His eyes opened. The only thing he saw was a vast blue framed by the green visible in the corners of his sight. In silence he reached upwards towards that open sky. Only for his hand to be grasped. The hand holding his own was soft and just as small as his. He trailed the appendage back to it's possessor, only to feel his eyes widen. Blond tresses flowed down from around a heart-shaped face. Her full lips, so similar to his own, were spread in a smile and bright green eyes looked into his own.

"Mom." He croaked. Her smile widened and somehow her eyes seemed to twinkle even brighter.

"Tetsuya." Then something happened that hadn't happened in years. Tears sprung from his eyes. Mortified he threw his other arm over his eyes. The sound of chuckles reached his ears.

"Don't be like that, honey. You have such beautiful eyes. Just like your father's."

His father. Suddenly Kuroko remembered everything. Coldness filled him. His arm dropped. He looked his mother in the eye. Her smile vanished. He clenched his hands.

"I'm dead, aren't I?" Her hand lowered to touch her cheek. Her eyebrows were knitted together and if not for the seriousness of the matter Kuroko would have felt guilty for causing that expression to appear on her face.

"You're not dead, darling. For this life your soul has yet to leave it's body."

Kuroko ignored her last words. "Then why am I here?"

The blonde smacked her lips before pursing them. "Your father loves us."

Kuroko looked down at his hands. Suddenly the movement of the muscles underneath the skin as he spread his fingers fascinated him more than ever. Small hands forced his head up. His mother looked into his eyes seemingly searching for something. With a sigh her eyes fell to the ground as she released his head.

"It was never his idea, you know. He was pressured into it by his father and mother. I doubt any of them realized how expensive a trade with their kind really is. Demons say a price but...there's always an extra, something not mentioned. They only speak of it once the contract has been made. In our case the extra was...me and you. But the problem with dealing with demons is that you can't back out of it. Your father asked for a way to make the Empire great. He received it. I just needed to be sacrificed. The demons would have been furious had he not done it. They would have torn the Empire apart, burned it down. Fulfilling the contract on their side is crucial to them. It's a matter of honour. Of twisted honour. They would have been greatly insulted had your father not done what he did. "

She looked up at the ever blue skies. "Though it would have been nice to know that when I was dying. I thought that the man I had loved was a lie. I'm lucky that there's so much knowledge available in death or I would have never known."

She looked down again before flickering her eyes up to meet his.

"I know life hasn't been easy for you since my death but please don't hate your father. The love he held for us was insurmountable."

Kuroko kept his silence.

"In the end he was just strung along in other's their schemes. So were I and my parents. In the end we were just the playthings of beings whose existence was greater than ours."

The way she said it made him think that it was something she'd spent a lot of her time brooding over. She drew nearer to him. The scent of jasmine flared up when her hair was caught in a breeze. It left him with nostalgia for the time when he would steal his mother's pillow case for the comfort of a perfume of white flowers. The smell that encased his mother. He wanted to ask for her to clarify when her suddenly brittle voice spoke again.

"I love you, Tetsuya. Even though you were never mine." His brows furrowed. What did she mean? Why was she saying all these things?

She peered into his eyes then gently took his hands into hers. Her skin was soft as the petals of the cherry tree they used to frequent in spring. A corner of her mouth curved upwards. He was pulled into her body. She felt soft and warm. It made him feel cherished.

For a moment they were silent. The only thing heard on the flower covered field was the wind and rustling of the grass. Kuroko looked up at the vast sky above him. Finally he allowed his gaze to lower to her face. Her lips parted. A shock wave went through the fields, the flowers rippling outwards from where they were standing. It cost a moment but they both managed to regain their balance and remain standing.

"The time for you to depart has arrived." She spoke with a bittersweet smile.

He opened his mouth to argue. There were still too many things unclear. Their eyes connected. She raised her hand slowly.

"This will be my last gift to you, Kuroko. Don't worry. It's a gift above all others. Your life." With those words her fingers came to rest on his forehead, a soft caress. Then she pushed harshly. He fell, his eyes closing in expectation of the hard ground. He almost didn't hear the sob that was torn from his mother's throat.

"May your memories guide you, my son." Roughly he was pulled down. Next thing he knew darkness was closing in with the sound of the air rushing by filling his ears, and he? He was falling far far down.

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When Mukuro arrived on the scene there were four things to be noticed. The previous emperor sobbing on the floor , rocking himself like a child, seemingly oblivious to to puddle of sick he was sitting in. The body of Kuroko laying oh, so very quietly on the floor without even the smallest of motions. It made his throat run dry forcing him to swallow. Then there was Kise staring subdued and silent at the figure holding the body of the nymph. Mukuro had no trouble recognizing the man that was picking up Kuroko. The long blond hair bound in a ponytail wasn't nearly as telling as the markings glowing bright in his shamrock green eyes. Hell's Pariah. The chosen one. Lucifer's lover. The court's pet. Those were just a few of the names the blond man had been gifted with and Mukuro couldn't disagree with a single one. Maybe the last one as Solomon's relationship with the originals - the very first residents of hell, and the so called court for their close position to Lucifer - could be more so seen as an equal, however strange it might seem.

There were rumors that they had encountered one another because Lucifer had shown interest in the boy that was said to have been chosen by God. Apparently Solomon had managed to catch Lucifer's interest thoroughly for it spoke that he still lived. Lucifer despised humans. Most of the Originals were more mellow in their view of the race but the Devil saw them as pigs for the slaughter. That didn't explain why the man was holding his Kuroko.

The demons brushed past him. They looked awful but what was for them likely in a good way. Blood was splattered all over them and the scent of it hung heavily in the air. Their eyes glowed almost deliriously in the he weren't feeling so numb he might have felt nauseaus at the sight shred flesh knitting itself together again . There was a deep wound on Kiyoshi's leg that was rapidly healing itself. Murasakibara grew still when he spotted the unmoving body cradled close to Lucifer's favorite's chest. Somewhat dazed Mukuro wondered if any of them would care if Kuroko was dead. He would.

Aomine spotted the frozen Kise before he spotted the body. "What's...wrong?" He asked his sentence trailing of as his eyes fell on Kuroko. Midorima remained quiet as did Haizaki, for once realizing that his brazen words would not be tolerated this tme. When Kiyoshi saw the small frame of the nymph being held by the blond man his hands clenched into fists.

Akashi spoke.

"Solomon." The blond didn't react to the sound of his name. His stare fixated on the pale face of his friend. It felt to wrong to say friend. Tetsuya was his. Just his. Finally they were reunited.


	15. Chapter 15

_'Ayus skidded down the corner, giggling to himself when he hears the handmaidens looking for him down the other hallway. Just a bit farther and he would be out their grasp and at the river. Ayus loved the river. It was almost the same color as his hair. His hair was bluer though._

_The river was big and wide and took everything away. His papa had said so to him. It was true too. He had even seen his friend being swallowed up by it's depths. She had been the sacrifice of that year. Ayus didn't really understand what the word sacrifice meant but when he asked his papa he had refused to answer. He had been a bit worried about her because she had been crying and shouting. His mother had told him they were tears of happiness and screams of excitement. The river was amazing to make his friend that happy. She never returned after that. Ayus was rather sad about it. She had been his secret playmate since Apel, his twin was always busy._

_Ayus wasn't allowed to talk to people and she hadn't been allowed to even look at him but Zyta had thought all those rules idiotic and ignored them. They became best friends. He had been a bit worried since they had been discovered by his mother who had dragged Zyta away. But then his mother had told him she had chosen Zyta for the sacrifice and that it was a huge honour so she couldn't have been all that mad about it. Papa had been angry at his mother about it. He probably thought his mother shouldn't encourage rule-breaking. Which was weird because his normally his papa wasn't very strict. He even sneaked Ayus out of his room now and then. Against his mother's orders!_

_He was almost outside when he heard his father's and mother's voice. He brightened. He was in love with the river but he rarely had the chance to see either of his parents. With that thought in mind he turned on his feet and followed their voices. The closer he got the better he was able to pick up what they were saying. They were talking rather loudly._

_"...why...Ayus...can't..." He perked up when he heard his name. They were talking about him! Giddily he crept closer. His papa said that eavesdropping was bad but surely it wouldn't be too bad? They were talking about him so he had the right to know._

_"Can't you at least allow him some sort of friend? Or at the very least some sort of social contact." He heard his papa say. The words made him smile. That would be nice._

_"He doesn't need to have social contact. What he needs to do is sit still and stop running off. Besides look at how his last attempt at social contact turned out." His mother answered. He pouted. That was boring. He wanted to explore._

_"You killed her." His papa spoke sounding angry now. After those words the two were quiet for awhile. What did papa mean? She was the sacrifice. She wasn't, couldn't be ...?_

_"Then at least let him join Apel's lessons. They have the exact same ages. What Apel understands he will too. What you're doing to Ayus isn't healthy. He needs to be out and about. Not locked in a room where the only visits he receives are from servants who won't look him in the eye let alone speak to him. What you're doing to him is...child abuse." His papa said the words like they were something dirty. Ayus frowned, his earlier concerns forgotten. He wasn't that bad off._

_"He doesn't need Apel's lessons. He won't have any use for them. He'll never have the same worth as she has." Ayus bit his lip. He knew mother liked Apel better but..._

_"Because you won't let him!" Papa screamed. The noise of it surprised Ayus. Papa never screamed._

_His mother sounded tired when she answered. "Don't be a fool. Apel will be queen. That's simply the way it is."_

_"So because Ayus will never be the ruler you can't treat him properly? " His father asked sounding like he wanted to smash things. Ayus knew because when he had been all alone in his room for hours he sounded like that too._

_"I can't treat him properly because he's useless. I wish he had never been born at all! We can't all dote on a child who'll never be good for anything." Mother didn't want him here. She wanted him gone._

_Ayus didn't hear his papa's answer. He had already left. To the river. The river was big and wide and took everything away. His papa had said so.'_

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_'Being taken away by the river isn't what he expects. It's dark swirling waters. Coldness and being pulled down. The torrents shred his clothes. He wants to breath but can't. He didn't think it would hurt. But it does. His throat feels tight, closing in on itself. His head hurts. The water pushes him around. There's a sharp sensation in his cheek as rock cuts it. He regrets it. He wants to swim up. Breathe. But the river won't let him go. His head burns. Tears mingle with the racing water. He wants his papa. His sister. Home...Breathing. But pain. Only pain. He wants out. He wants to live he was sorry he'd be good but stop, stop, god, please. He can't, no longer, needs to breathe, but..._

_He opens his mouth and breathes.'_

_'He doesn't remember escaping the river's hold. But he remembers his papa before him on his knees. His papa's crying. His hands are everywhere, his hold tight when he touches and grasps; making sure Ayus exists. He doesn't care that he is getting water on his expensive clothes. Ayus doesn't say anything. He doesn't need to. Papa knows. He always knows._

_He doesn't remember activating his powers to save himself. But he remembers the surrounding people's murmuring. "He must have awakened." "...so young." "..can't be..." "...saved him..." He ignores it._

_Nor can remember his mother ever looking at him. But when his papa is drawing him close, and his head is propped on the man's shoulder, his mother is looking at him. There's no expression on her face. Their eyes meet. Ayus sees something in hers he doesn't like. His father stands up, hoists him on his hip. The eye-contact is broken. Ayus ensures there isn't any other, ignoring any of his mother's attempts. When she finally leaves him and his papa she is angry and frustrated.'_

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_'After the river accident Ayus receives training. He knows it's different training than Apel's. His twin never had any scars. He doesn't like the training but he likes the social contact. The teacher sneers at him but she talks and makes eyes contact. His powers develop quicker than they're supposed to. They call him a genius. His mother smiles. Yesterday she visited him. It was the first time in his life she had done so. Ayus hadn't been sure what his feelings for his mother were but he think he knows it now. What it is called. Hate.'_

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_'Ayus is eleven when he murders his mother. He had planned it but he had expected it to feel different. Better. She's on the floor, a puddle slowly spreading out from beneath her. Her eyes are wide and desperate as she tries to stem the bleeding from her throat. Ayus drops the dagger, his hands sticky with blood._

_Maybe it's the clang of his weapon falling but a few seconds later his papa opens the door. His eyes become as wide as those of the woman laying on the floor. There is relief flooding into the eyes of his mother. Papa is an excellent healer. Ayus was disappointed. He hadn't succeeded in killing his mother. But papa doesn't do anything. Just watches the woman he had loved bleed out on the floor as she realizes that he isn't going to help him. She gurgles at him, blood flowing from her lips. He wants to cry when she stops and falls silent._

_Papa helps him get rid of the body. He tells the guards that a masked man had infiltrated the palace and done it. The soldiers who had been on guard that day are executed. A few months later his papa is dead as well. Apparently nymphs don't survive the death of their mates. Ayus wonders if he would have done differently had he known. He's afraid of the answer.'_

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_'He met Solomon at his mother's funeral. He doesn't know if Solomon knows but it was he who stopped Ayus second attempt at suicide. Solomon had been bright but sober. Solomon had known. About his mom. About his papa. Ayus didn't know how but Solomon had known. Apel had made friends with the Nollet Alliance's sons. But Ayus didn't care for them. He listened to Solomon speak.'_

_When he is shipped of to the Church he doesn't mind. Solomon would be there_."

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When his eyes opened, he was disorientated. His name was...Tetsuya? That was right, wasn't it? His name was Kuroko Tetsuya, his mother died when he was five and his father was still alive. He had a better bond with his mother than with his father but he would never murder either. He had been born human and had never had a friend named Zyta.

The surroundings were dark and it didn't take long for him to realize he was lying in water. He didn't question why he could breathe for it felt as a second nature. People were talking but the fluid surrounding him muffled almost all sound. When the noises fell silent he shifted. A hand broke through the water and he found himself almost surprised when it took hold of him and pulled him through the surface. A blond visage greeted him.

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_' "Are you sure this is a good idea? They're demons." '_

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He found himself with an armful of blond of incubus. What was Ryouta doing? The water was soaking into the the blond's clothes, soaking him. Kuroko wanted to curl around him and take in his warmth.

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_'" I like them. You'll like them too. " '_

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Dazed he looked down at the man. Nonetheless he found himself responding by pulling the incubus closer. He didn't wonder about his reaction knowing that there was little use in it. He carded his hands through the blond tresses.

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_'And he did like them. Just not who Solomon had meant.'_

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When Ryouta lifted his head their eyes met.

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_'He befriended the blond first. Had liked the way his eyes glowed in the dark, warm like amber and melted glass, but reflected in the light with cool metallic colors.'_

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A large hand was placed on his cheek. Ryouta was looking at him with worriedly.

"Are you alright?" Kuroko nodded. He was fine. He felt warm in a pleasant way. Like drinking hot chocolate on a cold, barren winter day. It radiated from his stomach, spreading to his fingers and toes. Ryouta looked relieved, more than he should if Kuroko was simply the boy he was. More than he should for someone who he had only know a few months.

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_'But then Ryouta had always cared the easiest, hadn't he?'_

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Ryouta smiled at him. "Good, they said there might be complications since you didn't do the proper awakening ritual but it seems you're just fine."

Kuroko nodded though not sure who they were supposed to be. When he thought to ask he realized there was a more pressing question on his mind.

"Where is my father?"

Ryouta's smile seemed fixed on his face almost as if he didn't dare to let it slip, afraid of what someone might see behind it once it fell. What Kuroko might see behind it if it fell.

His hands rose from the water they had still been lying idle in, to cup Ryouta's cheeks. To feel the tremors in the muscles.

"Where is my father, Ryouta?" Something seemed to simultaneously brighten and dim in the incubus's eyes. His lips grew thinner and tensed. Then the grimace disappeared completely. When Kuroko tried to make eye contact, the blond's eyes flicked away, avoiding the nymph and his attempts. A few times his lips parted as if to speak only for him to lose the courage again. Ryouta seemed to be looking for the right answer still when another voice answered the question for him.

"Dead." Kuroko's heart skipped a beat before it tried for another one. His head spun toward's where the voice had come from. Akashi stood in the door frame.

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_'There had never been a doubt in his head who was the leader of their little group. Seijuro had been close yet so far. He had been the first to look at Ayus but the last to have cared.'_

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"What..do you..." Kuroko had tried to find the other words but he couldn't. It felt like there was water in his head, sloshing around in his skull, making him unable to comprehend what the redhead had said.

"He's dead. We killed him. There was no use to him anymore. He was useless."

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_' "I can't treat him properly because he's useless." '_

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_'Her blood is wet andwarmandsticky and he hateshateshatesit. It feels like it'll burn through his skin and muscles and eventually will eat away at his bones too until he's nothing but an ugly, disturbed soul.'_

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Kuroko tries to shake the memory away, take a deep breath but then notices the blood on his hands and the breath is too fast and deep but he feels like he isn't getting enough oxygen anyway. Ryouta's face is streaked with blood because Kuroko had been holding it. He doesn't seem to realize what is tainting his face, concern furrowing his brows and lightning his eyes. Kuroko tries to tell him. Through his breaths, that there's blood, that he's sorry only he isn't sure if he's sorry for painting Ryouta's face red or for murdering his mother. But that isn't right because he didn't kill his mother his father did. He tries to calm his breath but then he remembers that his father is dead. Again. Water leaks from his eyes. Ryouta is speaking in an urgent way but Kuroko can't hear him through the wheezing of his lungs and pounding of his heart. He can't breath. Like when he drowned.

Someone was whispering in his ear, softly rocking him as he was held in their arms.

"Shhst, darling, you're okay, we're going to be fine." Somehow the words made the tears that had slowly been trailing their way down his face increase their speed and volume. He smothered his face in the shoulder offered to him and clung to the chest of someone stronger than him. Because in that moment Tetsuya felt fragile. Fragile and confused.


	16. Chapter 16

When the last tear dries on his cheek, Kuroko doesn't bother removing his head from the other's chest. His emotions had left him feeling empty and tired. He wanted go to sleep and leech of the warmth the person he was resting on emitted.

It seems that he doesn't have a choice in the matter for a gentle hand tips his head up. He recognizes the incubus immediately. There's no blood on his face.

"Better?" The blond asks both voice and tone soft. Kuroko doesn't respond and instead buries himself deeper in Ryouta's embrace. A kiss is laid on the crone of his head and there is a feeling of surprise mixed with delight. He doesn't question the delight.

Kuroko isn't sure how long they simply sit there. He knows he doesn't want it to end. The gentle scent of sandalwood that rose everytime he buried his face deeper in the soft cloth that covered Ryouta's shoulders comforted him. The blond's pleasant voice that murmured sweet nothings to him calmed him further. The warmth of Ryouta's body eventually spells him to sleep with a few dazed waking moments in between.

Kise doesn't mind. He simply enjoys the body in his arms. The body in his arms smells of rain and jasmine. The scent had been stronger since his awakening. Gently he moves a lock of hair out of the boy's face . A swell of adoration warms his body. He isn't sure why he is so caring towards the nymph. More caring than he is even among his own. He didn't worry about it. Kise moved by instinct and emotion. Those were telling him that what he was holding was as precious as it was going to get and to treat it with care. He would have liked to say it was a foreign concept but somehow it wasn't. It made him suspicious of his mind. Specifically his memories. It was likely someone had distorted them in some way. If he was right he wondered if it had been done by that person's own volition or on the order of Akashi. It wouldn't surprise him if it was the second option. Akashi cared about them but his way of caring was quite different than what was considered normal.

Under other circumstances he would have approached Murasakibaracchi for he was a mind demon just as much as Kise was but most of the demons were interacting with the court right now. Specifically Kashina. While he didn't have any sort of problem with Kashina he didn't seem to enjoy her presence the same way the others did. They all crowded around her. With the exception of Kiyoshicchi who seemed to outright despise her. That being said it would be impossible to get Murasakibaracchi's help without Akashi being notified. Kiyoshi might be an option but it held the same risk. Mukuro on the other hand would know and he wouldn't feel obliged to tell Akashi anything. He was brilliant at illusion magic and in the end that was all erasing or changing someone's memory was.

So lost in his thoughts he almost didn't notice the blood welling from Tetsuya's mouth. He bit his own lip, feeling anxious but not wanting to wake the nymph. Carefully he wiped the blood away with his thumb. It colored crimson. For a moment he stared at it. Then he sucked the blood of.

'It's the first time he has sex for the purpose of love instead of feeding. It makes him understand why humans glorify the emotion as a god.'

'When he returns their nest smells of their mate's blood. The panic slams into him harder than anything ever has. They had been careless. '

'Their mourning period is almost over. A century has passed but they're still shattered with grief for their lost mate. Other demons have been eying them. Just waiting for the mourning period to be officially over so they can sink their claws into the weakened group. Akashi has tried to pull them together but it's impossible. Kise knows that their leader is desperately searching for a way to get their strength back up. To keep the rest of them safe.'

'He figured it out. What Akashi is planning. He understands why but there is a filthy emotion under the understanding. Resentment. He doesn't bother warning the others. Instead he searches for an out.'

'When the kitsune and blond approach him there is no doubt in him for what they're here. He's stunned that Akashi had chosen Solomon for it. It was an unwise choice. The blond blames them for what happened. Despises them. Sometimes Kise does too. He closes his eyes. There hadn't been an out.'

Kise blinked. That was-

He really should consult Mukuro soon. After a moment of hesitation he left the room. No one would dare to harm the nymph here.

When Kuroko's conscious finally returns to him, his emotions have stilled. There's the taste of blood in his mouth but he doesn't question it. He must have bitten his cheek during his spell. The scent of sandalwood and citrus lingers in the room and he instinctively knows it's Kise scent. A warm feeling fills him knowing that the blond had stayed with him for quite some time. Weaker is the scent of black pepper and bergamot. Akashi. It takes him a second to register just how much more sensitive he must have become to smells to be able to tag them merely by that. Then the memories slam back into him.

Dead. His father died. He doesn't cry again. He already shed his tears for the man. It feels like failure. Two lives. Four parents. All died because of him. All deaths had hurt him. Of they had. Even that of his first mother. Even that of his second father.

It made him feel numb.

Maybe it was his fate to be an awful son.

"Don't be so morose." A familiar voice spoke from the door opening. Bright eyes watched him.

"Solomon."

Glee overtook the young man's features. "You remember?"

Tetsuya hesitated. "Some parts."

The blond frowned. "What do you remember?"

"Why did I kill her?"

Solomon froze. After a moment of doubt he spoke. "Your mother was the greatest leader the Alliance had ever seen, but she wasn't the best of mothers. You never told me your exact reasons but it had to do with Apel."

Tetsuya's chest felt cold at the explanation. The warm feeling he had before had completely disappeared leaving a raw ache in it's place. Apel was his sister. How could he have forgotten?

"How has she been?"

Solomon stepped closer to him, making eye contact. "She lost her baby brother. The last piece of her family. The best way to put it would be that she isn't the same."

Kuroko closed his eyes. "I don't even remember dying."

A grimace formed on the blond's face. There was a look in his eyes, something close to rage. "That might be for the better. Yours wasn't the most peaceful way to go."

The newly awakened nymph swallowed at those words. He'd let the subject be for what it was for now. It was obvious it was still painful for the other man. They'd been like brothers.

Solomon cleared his throat. "The memories will come in waves. They'll overwhelm and leave you bereft of any sense of time. They'll disorient you. If it ever becomes too much come to me or Lucifer. We'll try to help you."

He smiled encouragingly at Kuroko. Then he blinked. "You do remember Lucifer, right?"

A low chuckle sounded from the darkness at the right side of the room. It was a pleasant sound that send a thrill down Tetsuya's spine.

"Rather unthoughtful of you to only ask that now, wouldn't you say?" A shape formed out of the shadows. Soon a tall man with dark blond curls stood between them. His hair reached to his shoulders. Power rolled off him in waves. Somehow it felt comforting. Familiar almost. When the man turned to face him coal black eyes met his own. He couldn't even make out a pupil.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_'His eyes were black. Black like the bottom of the river had been. Black like the knife that Ayus had used to slit his mother's throat. Black like the coffin his father had been buried in. If he hadn't been numb with guilt and grief he would have felt fear.'_

_\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_'The demon is kind to him. Kinder to Solomon still. What could have grown into fear ebbs away and makes place for a growing trust instead.'_

_\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_'He wakes up screaming, scrambling away from the corpse of his mother who is tenderly caressing his throat. It takes him a minute to realize that the corpse of his mother is actually sheets tangled with a stuffed animal that Apel had gotten him after she heard about his nightmares. The tears that are in his eyes don't stop flowing at the realisation, as his father gently runs his hands through his hair._

_"It was your decision. " The kind voice says. Ayus just sobs_

_"You decided to kill your mother." The voice turns harsher. Ayus furiously rubs his eyes._

_"You decided to kill me."_

_Ayus snarls, "That's not true.", he swipes at the figure only for his hands to pass through air. He wheezes out a breath._

_It's all in his head. They are dead, he tries to reassure himself. Only it isn't reassuring at all. They are dead. Because he killed them._

_He chokes out another breath. What if Apel came to know? She'd have him executed. Apel had adored their mother. And he had killed her._

_His breaths are coming fast now. He can't control the pace anymore. His chest is constricting. It feels like he is drowning again. Only without a miraculous awakening to save him this time. He stumbles out his bed, opening his bedside drawer. The obsidian knife glints at him in the light of a full moon. This was the same knife he'd killed his mother with. The same knife he'd indirectly killed his father with._

_He is never going to escape from this. From the crushing guilt. The whispered voices. The non-existent touches. The panic attacks that come with them. The drowning over and over again._

_His sister was going to figure it all out. Better he end it all before that. Without his realisation he has already taken the knife. For a moment he hesitates. He caresses the blade and accidentally nicks his finger on it. Blood spreads over the blade. It's the same as his mother's blood._

_His grip on the blade tightens. He raises it to his throat and closes his eyes. A hand comes to rest on his. He grits his teeth._

_"You're not real." He speaks. The hand suddenly grasps his, another hand grabbing his waist. Then he is being flipped over. His back lands harshly on the floor, a heavy weight settling on his stomach. The knife is thrown away and clatters on the floor where it falls. His eyes shoot open. His hallucinations never manhandled him this way. It isn't his mother sitting on him. Nor is it his father. Black eyes stare searchingly at him._

_"Why did you stop me?" Ayus asks quietly. Lucifer blinks._

_"Solomon told me to visit you sometime." He answered._

_"That doesn't answer my question, Lucifer." Ayus spoke tiredly. Lucifer's eyes narrow._

_"Why would you attempt such a thing?" He hisses out._

_A laugh escapes from Ayus's lips. "Can't you see?"_

_Lucifer stares at him. His eyes fall close. "You think Solomon and I don't know? That you're barely keeping yourself together? That sometimes you stare at spaces when nothing's there? The way you tilt your head as if listening to something? That you flinch away from people who are non-existent? "_

_Ayus smiles up tiredly at the devastatingly beautiful man. "Then why do you need to question my actions?"_

_Lucifer snarls at the question. "Your absence would have consequences on those around you. Your sister, Solomon, even me and the court. Don't give up on your live when you haven't experienced it yet."_

_Ayus just stares up at the demon, king of hell. He swallows. "Will you stay with me tonight?"_

_Lucifer just gathers the young boy in his arms , moves them both to the bed and cradles the child close to his chest for the rest of the night.'_

_\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

"Kuroko?" Solomon asks worriedly, Lucifer also looking at the boy curiously. The boy's eyes are wide and unseeing. At his name he seems to come back into focus.

"I remember Lucifer." He responds. The other two let out a short breath. Solomon grins brightly at that information and even Lucifer seems to have a small smile on his face.

"That's good Kuroko. That's good."

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kise finds the human illusionist in one of the more desolate rooms of the hell palace. He had been in the palace many times because of their group's position as the second most powerful, placing them directly beneath the court. The layout was different from that of the Hideaki palace which had sprawling hallways with many turns and crossroads. No, compared to the Hideaki palace it had a very simple layout. It was just so expansive that it was still very easy for one to hide. The court tended to stick to one wing and floor. If there was something important they would use the throne room but the last time that had happened was about 700 years ago when a young vampire had attacked the last of a specie. Rather messy affair that had been.

The illusionist was looking out of the windows watching the pits. Maybe there was an interesting match going on. Maybe he he was reminiscing about his own days in the pits. Mukuro had ruled the pits for the short time he had been in them. Those had been interesting matches.

At hearing him entering the room the male looked up. He looked like someone caught between the wisps of childhood and the heaviness of an adult.

"Kufufufu, what's this?"

Kise hummed cheerfully. "I'd like your help with something, actually."

The young male looked him up and down, a smirk starting on his lips. "Oh?"

Kise nodded a smile as fake as ever on his lips. "Hmmm , I'd like you to get rid of any blocks on my mind."

The smirk lost some of its power. "Who would have messed with your memories, kufufu?"

Kise looked down, smile falling from his face. When he looked up again it was with an angry frustrated expression. "We both know who."

For a minute Mukuro looked at him. His smirk had made place for a frown. It seemed even he knew how serious this was.

"Kufufu, let's get started then." That was the only warning Kise got before darkness rose around him, his legs giving out beneath him.

Mukuro didn't bother softening the landing of the blond. A nasty crack sounded as the succubus's neck hit something on its way down. It didn't bother Mukuro. If anything it pleased him. Maybe having lived in hell for so many years had had a greater impact than he had thought. Or maybe he'd always been sadist.

With a wave of his hand a small stream of his magic came out. The magic then took the form of a small spider.

"Kufufu, what are you wating for?" He spoke to the animal. The baby spider scurried over to the blond's body. Through his slack mouth the spider crawled inside.

Mukuro could feel it disappearing into the blond's mind and let out a bored sigh. His magic would do all the work now. He just needed to stay in case the demon's magic decided to trash against his own. It was unlikely to happen but he'd stay.

He'd hate to be the one responsible for making the prince's face crumble yet again.

Some time passed. It was peaceful enough. The pits were bloodier than they had been in his days. Blood had rarely spilled in his days. Now physical violence seemed to be the only type that the contenders knew. It was an hour after the last match. The sky was always the same color here. Black tinted with red. Not even stars.

The blond's body shot upright, surprising the illusionist. He was about to ask if the demon if had recovered any memories but was interrupted. The blond turned on his knees, leaning on his arms as his body tried to heave up the contents of his body. Bile splattered on the ground. The scent of acid burned his nose.

Mukuro stood there struck as tears streamed down the succubus's face, joining the bile on the floor. Desperate sounds escaped the demon's lips. They went straight through bone and marrow. He swallowed, his throat suddenly dry at the grief presented before him. He knew better than to try and approach the demon. It would swipe at him. Then it became clear that the piercing sounds that the demon was letting out were a word. It took him a moment for him to realize that the word was a name.

Kise sobbed. Those bright blue eyes. His body was heaving as bile forced its way up. He didn't even notice. Instead he felt the guilt swallowing him whole, the grief crushing him as the memories hit him full force. A mangled corpse only recognisable through the blood scent. How could he have forgotten? Their sweet lover. How could they have let it get that far? Their sweet mate.

"Ayus..." He gasped out, breath eluding him.


	17. Chapter 17

The first time they had met the deceptively small nymph had been during the winter. They had stirred some trouble in the Middle-West of the human world and it had increased the amount of contracts made. Lucifer had summoned them to congratulate them. It was probably more about checking up on them. Making sure they were still under his thumb.

Some of the group looked forward to the meeting. There were those who were fond of Kashina. Then there were the rumors of the court getting involved with a human from the Alliance. There were more than a few curious about that.

Kise was slightly curious about the human but not enough for him to feel motivated to go to the hell palace. He'd much rather have stayed in the Middle-West and watched how the humans ripped each other apart. Spilling blood was nice but there was something about manipulating people against each other to such a degree that was quite pleasant as well.

When they arrived at the palace there was a snow blanket over it. A wind moved through the valley and even in the darkness that was hell the snow seemed to glow brightly. It made them wary. Things such as snow had no place in hell. While it wasn't quite the burning inferno some religions painted it as it certainly didn't have a climate that afforded snow. Yet the air felt cold. As if they'd somehow gone back to the human world on a moonless night. After a brief stop Akashi motioned for them to move on. Kise followed the rest, now on guard. He wasn't the only one.

A minute after entering the entrance hall Kashina appeared. Lucifer likely knew she was the one their group was the most receptive too. Dark hair curled in tiny ringlets around her face and fell to her broad hips. Her skin was tan like coffee but with a lot of cream. Their previous contractor had preferred the beverage that way so the color stood stark in his mind.

She smiled at them, her sharp teeth pearly white. Haizaki huffed but then went for an embrace. She had practically raised him after all. The others followed his example. When no one was left she turned her sparkling eyes to him. They were a dark chocolate. The bitter kind. With a fake smile plastered on his face he hugged her, trying for enthusiasm. She giggled cheerfully. It sounded dishonest to his ears. He would know. He was the master of fake smiles and laughs.

It was strange. There was nothing for him to go on but he just couldn't help but think of her as deceitful. Still, she'd never done anything to them so he'd just stay out of her way. The others could accompany her. He didn't particularly care as long as he wasn't forced to interact with her. The others could do whatever they wanted.

She led them through the palace, chattering on about something he couldn't bring himself to care about him. For a moment her forced himself to look at her abstractly. He could see why she was seen as one of the most beautiful. Her appearance had a certain warmth and she moved with the grace she had lost. She didn't have the classical beauty trades but it allowed her to cross the limits those had. Yes, normally he'd fuck her.

He looked up at the ceiling. It was quite a boring ceiling compared to most palace ceilings. No elaborate paintings or anything of the like. He heard Akashi question the snow and allowed himself a look at the fallen angel. There seemed to be something like annoyance on her face.

The woman let out a strained laugh. "Lucifer acquired himself two pets. One of them is a bit of a bummer. He's always playing the dejected one. His magic is still powerful though so this is the end result."

Well, it was obvious that she didn't care much for whoever she was talking about. But two pets? The rumours had only spoken of one human. Not to mention that to have such strong effect on his environment the person must be powerful.

"Two? I thought Lucifer had befriended just one human." Akashi stated.

The woman let out a huff. "Yes, but said human had a friend he just needed to introduce to us. The friend turned out to be a chronically depressed nymph. I'm telling you, it'll be good riddance once they disappear."

A cold-sounding voice sounded up from the left hallway. "Your opinion has been duly noted, Kashina. But until Lucifer grows weary of them I'd hold your tongue and it doesn't look like he'll tire of them anytime soon."

The boy looked to be fifteen years old in human appearance and was the youngest member of the court. He was the only demon that had been added later on. He had one bright blue eye and the other glowed purple with the mark of a demon. Kashina smiled sugary sweet at him.

"Shush, little boy. You're only here because Malphas's request to change you into a demon. It was only granted because Lucifer thought it amusing that a demon would choose its contractor for a mate. You've only been with us for a few millennia. You'll see, Lucifer has only been toying with them and soon he'll grant them to me to play with."

That first little bit was new information. Their group was only a millennia old. They hadn't know how the youngest demon of the court had come to be, only that he had joined later on. They certainly hadn't know that he had once been a human.

Ciel merely rolled his eyes at her. "Don't be daft. Lucifer is terribly fond of the both of them. You're only fooling yourself if you think that he'll give either of them to you to mangle. But I do understand that it might be tough for you to realize that you have lost your his favor."

The whites of the woman's eyes blurred into the black of the iris before the entirety of her eyes finally became white. Finally she shows her true self, Kise thinks.

"You dare?" She hissed out.

The boy looked at her as if she were the dirt on the bottom of his shoes. "Lucifer has long stopped caring for your foolish notions. There's not a single one of us that thinks otherwise. You have long surpassed your usefulness. The visions are the only thing keeping you in the market right now. Solomon's knowledge must feel quite threatening, must it not?

Magic seeped out of her, rolling in clouds over the ground towards the boy. The rest of them watched, tension in their frames. A fight between those of the court wasn't something they wanted to be near to.

Ciel was looking at the fog in disbelief.

He opened his mouth to say something - likely something degrading if Kise was to guess from the look on his face- when the eye with the demonic mark flared bright purple and a hand clamped down on the boy's shoulder. A tall man with black hair and brown red eyes appeared behind him.

Malphas smiled brightly at the small boy and petite woman. "I was wondering what took you so long to retrieve them. Provoked Kashina, did you, naughty boy."

A flush appeared on the boy's face. "She was talking disrespectfully about the Solomon and Ayus to our guests."

Malphas eyes glinted red. His body was lean as he stalked over to Kashina. "You're behaving rather silly, Kashina."

He stopped in front of her, his smile never having left his face. "I'd hate for you to hurt my mate over something as frivolous as your lost position with Lucifer. We all know he was just entertaining your notions until something better came along. So I'd recommend you stop this childish behavior. Children get punished."

The anger didn't leave her face as her eyes seeped back to brown.

One had to be a saint to just let a threat to their mate be with that, Kise thought idly.

There was a glint in the man's eye that spoke of retribution though. He was probably leaving it for behind closed doors. It was likely he didn't want for them to witness any more struggle between the court's members.

"Please follow me, the court has been awaiting your arrival." Malphas spoke. He guided his tiny mate with a hand ons his back. The boy leaned into it for a second before angrily shrugging the hand off.

Their group followed the the couple leaving a seething Kashina behind them. It wasn't a very confusing road to the throne room. Just follow the straight hallway to the big doors. It was just a long one. They must have walked for five minutes when the doors finally came in sight. Scattered laughter came from the room. Inside where five people. Two of them were unfamiliar and must be the pets as Kashina had so politely called them. It wasn't hard to guess which of them was the nymph and which was the human. Blue hair called to Kise like a beacon and he allowed his eyes to roam the petite boy who owned the locks. His eyes were the same azure color as his hair. He had a nice face and lean body that was obviously trained. His eyes stared emptily over the room, not really seeming to see anything. He looked like a pretty doll sitting at Lucifer's and the blond human boy.

Kise made his gaze move from the boy when Lucifer started speaking. His power rolled of him. Menacing as it tried to intimidate them. He couldn't help but notice the way it hovered protectively not around the human but the powerful nypmh.

The conversation basically went as Kise had expected it to go. They assured Lucifer that they had no plans of overthrowing the current court and then they were offered compliments on their great job in the Middle-West. It was all quite boring really. For some time his eyes lingered on the other two members of the court. A tall burly looking woman and a boy who looked like he was five year old. Kise knew Enlil to be far more terrifying than the woman. After all it wasn't the woman who had spread diseases like the black plague for her own pleasure. Not that Kise really cared about the humans but the boy had developed a similar disease that would have the same effect on demons. It was only Lucifer's word and promise of wrath that had prevented the boy from spreading that one too. Insanity ran deep in the court but with Enlil said madness was quite close to the surface. Closer than comfort allowed. Kise dreaded the day Lucifer left the boy unsupervised.

Eventually his gaze returned to the pretty nymph. He'd like to have that one for a meal. He licked his lips. It was only after a few minutes that he noticed the angry glare the blond was giving him. The human's hand was splayed possessively over the nymph's upper thigh. The human was beautiful but in an entirely different way from the nymph. Where the nymph looked fragile and petite despite the various muscles showing the human looked strong and study even though he had no muscles at all. It was all in those bright green eyes filled with intent.

Kise smirked at the boy. Lucifer took note of his shifted attention.

"How rude of me, I haven't introduced my new friends yet, have I? The blond human," he said with a nod towards the blond "is called Solomon. Rumored to be blessed with wisdom beyond compare by the Gods themselves."

The blond nodded tersely at them. Lucifer continued on. "The small one has the name of Ayus Nollet. A young but potent nymph."

The room froze.

"Nollet..."

"As in the Nollet Alliance?"

"Ayus Nollet..."

"As in the missing prince of the Eve country?"

The boy still wasn't looking at them. Lucifer answered for him. "Quite correct, yes."

A laugh escaped from Kise's lips. "You congratulate us for stirring trouble in the Middle-West but you created quite some chaos by taking that one from home all by yourself."

The voice that spoke was soft. "They didn't take me from home. They're trying to create one for me." The nymph gazed at them. The words made them all silent. Even those of the court didn't make any sound.

Kise eventually let out a chuckle. "Seems to me like they haven't been very successful." The boy's eyes narrow when they fall on him. They look to be made of ice in the dim lighting of the throne room. Lucifer's magic that had been hovering around the boy retreats with a hiss as the boy's own magic rolls out. It moved slowly at first, caressing the still forms of Lucifer and Solomon as it passed them but then it was everywhere. Heavy, it saturated the air until it became visible. Only the two seated next to the nymph continue breathing for every breath taken is filled with antagonised magic. Blue sparks shimmer in the air, floating. When one grazes against him it's so cold it burns. The power is intoxicating.

It's Akashi who ends up interrupting the tense silence. "Our apologies, we had no intention of agonising you." Blue eyes met red and gold ones. A few tense second pass. Then the magic vanished, the anger that had come into the nymph's eyes fizzled out until they looked empty again. The boy slumped in his seat, giving them a weary nod. He didn't speak to apologize or demand Kise did so. Any life in him just seemed to have died out returning him to his state as a pretty doll.

After that they were quick to be dismissed. He could tell Akashi was displeased but he didn't mind. The taste of magic still lingered on his tongue and it wasn't just him who was undone by it. Powerful, Kashina had said. Potent, Lucifer had said. The boy's power went far past those labels. Even in it's wrath there had been something enchanting about the magic, about the boy.

When that blue spark had grazed against him, he'd wanted the boy beneath him, crying out his name, sweating as he moaned for more. Kise knew that the feeling of their magic uniting would be enough for him to come undone. Kise craved it. Ayus Nollet. He'd have the boy.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If being terribly sick can be a trigger, watch out because that's basically all this chapter is about. Also non-explicit torture. Really really non-explicit. Angst as well. Lots of angst. I like angst, weird huh?

Kuroko knew. He knew before the first cough had racked his body. Before the first drop had spilled from his lips. He had known long before the tremors started and even longer from when the first flash of agony had set his nerves alight. 

Kuroko knew disease had been creeping through his veins, it moved like sludge through his body, send crippling waves of pain through his body before leaving him numb. Entirely too numb. It was like Ice.

Kuroko knew. But he kept silent.

He kept silent when the floor swayed under him like the sea. Lucifer noticed anyway.

A gentle hand steadied him. The blond stared imploringly at him. “Are you well?” He asks. His hand circled around Kuroko’s bicep and the nymph can only think that the angel has long fingers. Kuroko nodded and shrugged off the hand, ignored the world spinning around him and walked to his rooms. 

He kept silent. Lucifer knew anyway.

Kuroko knew. But he kept silent.

He kept silent when his weight dropped and illusions covered the hollowness of his flesh. Mukuro noticed anyway.

Peaches turned to ashes in his mouth. He chewed mechanically knowing he had to eat. It was a useless effort. Time found his stomach purifying itself of the ash. He tried again. It was an apple but in his mouth, all it amounted to was ash. His body rejected the food. He didn’t cry. He tried again. Cherries used to be a rare treat. His mom would pluck them from the palace trees and give them to him. They had always tasted like summer. They just tasted like ash now. The vomit burned. He cried. He didn’t try again. Instead he weaved illusions. It’s not as difficult as it could have been. He has always used illusions to cover his scars. Now they filled the cavity of his stomach, the gauntness of his cheeks. He thickend ankles and wrists until his body looked normal. He used the bond with Mukuro to ease the process. Mukuro told him he forgot his collarbones and adjusted the illusion for him. The master illusionist managed to trick his body into believing he had a stomach full of food. It was the first time in weeks that he didn’t feel hungry. His uttered thanks was as flightless as it was breathless but the lack of hunger lasted for a week before his body figured out it was a lie. When Mukuro realized he laughed. It sounds as hollow as Kuroko’s body is shaping to be.

He kept silent. Mukuro knew anyway

Kuroko knew. But he keeps silent.

He kept silent when the walls morphed into a small cozy room where the only sound was the screaming of Ayus and Lucifer turned into his once torturer. Kise noticed anyway.

It had been their living room. Ayus had been the only one who really ever used it. The other demons always had either been out or doing something. They had said they didn’t enjoy sitting around. Ayus had always thought it was because of the large bowl of water filled with water sprites in the room. They didn’t like demons. 

It had always been just him and the sprites in the room. Not that day. A hunter had tracked down the trail that the demons had oh so carelessly left. Solomon had warned something like this might happen with how the demons behaved. Ayus had always weakly defended his mates. Solomon had been right of course. The bowl of water had lain smashed on the ground. The hunter had done it to prevent the water sprites from interrupting. Pain had run across his senses. It had been agony before but his nerves had become damaged from what the man’s doing. He had been losing blood. Too quick. He had closed his eyes. The man had left. Ayus had just laid there as the strength slowly seeped out of him. He had heard Kise arriving, felt his touch…No, that wasn’t right. Kise was soothing him right now. Soft hands moved along his neck, drawing him away from his painful death.

When later a nearby guard turned into his mother, Kise lays a kiss against his temple. Warmth fluttered in his chest, the mating bond still there. When Kuroko had finally been capable of shaking the feeling of affection and adoration off his mother had turned back into the guard. The pair learned to use the bond to shake of the hallucinations. It was difficult but Kise kept trying for him. The warmth in chest grew with that knowledge.

He kept silent. Kise knew anyway. 

Kuroko knew. But he kept silent.

He kep silent when sleep escaped him no matter how hard he chased it. Solomon knew but is still in denial. 

He lay awake in bed. He thought of Ayus and his suicides attempts. Ironic how Ayus had been killed once he no longer wanted to be dead. Movement pulled him from his thoughts. The markings in the green eyes glowed bright in the dark. Lucifer’s mark was stunning. Solomon must be so pleased to have it. Ayus had marks as well. Kuroko didn’t. It makes him feel empty, they were his. They might have forgotten but he hadn’t. Not anymore. Now he remembered he could feel it. Nymphs didn’t have visual marks. Instead they coated their intended in a magical aura. His magic was still on them. Their bonds were still there. He could feel it in his chest. He liked to think Kise remembers but he doesn’t dare to ask.

Blond tresses catched his attention. Solomon had moved closer to him. Then Lucifer had moved closer at his back. He had been sandwiched between them and warmth had filled him. It wasn’t the warmth of a good night of sleep but he could appreciate it regardless. He nestled himself in their bodies and allowed himself to be swallowed by their affection.

If next morning he had a headache and his eyes burned, well. He kept silent.

Kuroko knew. But he kept silent.

Or at least he tried. But it was hard keeping silent when you were coughing up blood. His flinch at the echoes set of another round. Then a large hand was rubbing his back and giving him a glass of water. He swallowed it down through the coughs. Water was what helped best now.  
When he looked up he expects Kise, maybe Mukuro or Lucifer. Most certainly not Haizaki who looked pale as a ghost. 

Haizaki doesn’t demand an explanation. Instead he told of his mother who had been a water Naga. He explained how Naga who have an affinity for an element had to reconnect with that element every time they shed. How if they didn’t their life force became unbalanced and they grew sick. He told that his mother had been attacked on her shedding night and how he hadn’t been able to get her to the water she had so desperately needed during her shedding. He told how she’d looked fine at first and how in a steady pace she had gotten more and more ill. He told how she died coughing up her blood and organs.

Kuroko hadn’t known this. Aryus hadn’t known this. Guilt filled his chest. He hadn’t wanted the other to be reminded of something like this.

Haizaki asked when he planned to tell the others. He wasn’t not planning on telling them. Fury build in Haizaki’s eyes before it died down. Instead there was bitterness, anger and helplessness in his eyes. The Naga asked if he will be able to get to his room okay. Kuroko smiles and nodded. The blood felt heavy on his lips so he licked it off and swallowed. The tang of metal had become familiar.

Kuroko had tried to keep silent. Haizaki had heard anyway. Surprisingly he had cared.

Kuroko knew. And really, so did Solomon. He just didn’t want to know.

There was no more denying when Kuroko started aching whenever he had to leave the waters of the baths. When tremors overtook his movement every time he was left without water. 

Solomon sat next to him in the baths. He looked pale and frightened. Regretful. 

“I hoped you’d be lucky. That your core would settle” he laughed bitterly, “but you’ve never been lucky, have you?” 

Kuroko lay his head on the other’s shoulder. “I always felt I was lucky to have you. As Ayus. As Tetsuya.”

“I always blamed them for your death. They left a trail anyone could find. They didn’t seem to care. But then I felt responsible for if I hadn’t introduced you to Lucifer and the court you’d never have met them either.”

Kuroko closed his eyes. “They were careless” he confirmed, “but I don’t think they ever realized the possible consequences of what they did. They felt we were being paranoid.”

“I was so angry. You were mine first. I love Lucifer but you were my soulmate. I had Hirah before but he never understood. He was kind and he tried but he never quite did. And then I met you and you were like this bright burning star that was burning bright just to die out. I always had all this knowledge in my head that I never knew what to do with and I resented it. But I knew that we were meant. We were.”

Kuroko kept silent.

“And they destroyed you. Then that Kitsune had the nerve to ask to erase the group their memories of you. I wiped their minds. They didn’t deserve to know of you. So they forgot. But I didn’t. Lucifer was sad. Lucifer was angry but he had it under control. I didn’t. I just fell and fell. He tried to console me and told me that maybe things were better for you in death. In death. Like it was a separate realm. It made me think. Maybe I could retrieve your soul. 

It took decades of work. I pulled your essence back and it worked. I chose the Kuroko’s for half of it. Your father was a part of their original bloodline and they had strong magic. They all had blue hair. The other half was fed back to your original family. One of their daughters inherited it and carried it with her. She was carted off to the Borgias. She gave birth to Lucrezia and with her marriage to your second father my work was done.

Then something went wrong and your father made that deal with those demons. Your mother died and your second childhood ended up being no better than your first. I kept an eye on things but your father refrained from sacrificing you and those idiots had disappeared. Then somehow Apel figured out who you really were. She started planning to take you back and those stupid demons showed up again. Your father was triggered into thinking he needed to sacrifice you. You should have been drowned in water. Instead your core was startled by magic from your mates. It was tipped off balance and the magical seal made it worse. We tried to remedy it by putting you in water even if it was late. Seems we were too late.” 

Kuroko thudded his head against the other’s shoulder. “What a monologue.”

Solomon choked out startled laughter. 

“Maybe it’s my fate to die young.” That cut the laughter off. 

Silence filled the baths. The steam swirled up in lazy patterns. They followed it with their eyes. 

“Maybe it is.” Solomon finally muttered.

Kashina smiled from her hiding spot behind a pillar.


	19. Chapter 19

Haizaki watched the others from his seat on the couch. They all looked content if not happy listening to Kashina. He could understand. Kashina was a wonderful person. Her visions were interesting and she didn’t mind sharing them. It was most likely that which drew Akashi and Aomine in. She was however also a good speaker. She spun fascinating tales and was truly a great story teller. All seers he had met were. Maybe it was a trait of theirs. 

It bothered him to see them content. If they knew that their little nymph was sick they wouldn’t be like this. He didn’t really understand why they had gotten so attached so quick but they just were.

He himself had started spending more time with the nymph now that he knew. He couldn’t help it. Even though it had been more than a few centuries ago it was still fresh on his mind. His mother had suffered. Kashina had found him next to his mother’s cooling body. Tremors had still run through it every now and then. The blood spilling from her lips had still been warm. Kashina had gotten him out. He had vowed to himself he’d help any other out who suffered the same fate as him and his mother. His mother had suffered. He knew that even though the nymph was trying to keep a stiff lip he was suffering from the same symptoms his mother had suffered.

The boy was never seen eating and sometimes when he concentrated hard enough he could see the soft indigo glow of illusions covering the boy’s body. He had likely lost a lot of weight already, sleep as well if they way the boy sometimes just stared at nothing was any indication.

There was something odd about the boy, though. Something aside from the sickness that was steadily taking a hold of the boy. There was something terribly familiar about him. He could feel the memories in his mindscape but every time he tried to grasp them, they escaped from his fingertips. It was maddening.

The nymph himself seemed to be suffering from the same problem. At times he would smile and it was just the slightest up tilt of the lips but it was the most beautiful thing in the world. He would like at Haizaki with such heartbreaking tenderness, like Haizaki was something terribly precious to him. There would be this warmth spreading in his chest that felt quite a lot like the mating bond he shared with the others. The more time he spend with the nymph, the more this warmth would spread and the more sure he was that somehow he knew this slip of a boy.

It maddened him that the boy didn’t tell the others about his sickness. Except for Ryouta who had figured things out by himself – and wasn’t that a surprise?- none of them knew of the damage done to the boy’s core. 

There seemed to be some hesitance over his father’s death. Haizaki had wanted to sneer at the boy how the man had been the most terrible father. He hadn’t out of fear the other would point out just whose fault that was.

Frustrated he stood up from the couch he had been seated in. The others barely acknowledged him. It wouldn’t be the first time for him to angrily stomp out the room with seemingly no reason.

Maybe he should tell Kiyoshi. The demon god was trustworthy and protective, at least to those he liked and Kiyoshi seemed quite fond of the little nymph. He would be understanding and kind.

Solomon was to out of it to be understanding or supportive. He was barely holding himself together as it was. It was obvious the two shared some kind of past. He didn’t bother asking. It hardly mattered with the boy’s speeding demise. Logically the duty would have fallen to him since they were obviously the closed. He was useless as it was.

Lucifer seemed to know and like the nymph as well but the problem with him was obvious. Hell’s ruler couldn’t afford to let his attention slip for anything. He made as much time free as he could to spend with both Solomon and the nymph but as Solomon could hardly stand to being near the nymph out of some seemingly misplaced sense of guilt it still left only a small amount of time for the boy.

Mukuro was an obvious choice as well as it was obvious the man and the prince was close. Except the illusion master was hardly a people person. He wasn’t kind and he wasn’t understanding. He was bitter, jaded and cynical and his new friend’s sickness wasn’t helping matters. That his illusions weren’t helping any seemed to piss the kid of as well. Haizaki would have found it hilarious as he found the kid way too arrogant. Except it would have been nice if the nymph could have been helped with illusions.

That left Kise. Ryouta was doing…surprisingly well. He rarely left the nymph’s side. Whenever the nymph looked queasy a water bottle was pressed into his hand and when the nymph would have this strange look on his face Kise would coax him out of it with firm but loving touches. It was strangely intimate to watch. Like it was private. It wasn’t sexual in any way but there was so much adoration if the incubus eyes every time he looked at the boy and his feelings showed in his actions.

The most surprising about that was his own lack of jealously. Haizaki was terribly possessive about his lovers. It was why he had agonized the young prince when he had first met him. Fury had filled him at the thought of his lovers fucking any others. He didn’t feel that way watching Ryouta caress Kuroko did cause him any anger. Instead it made him feel satisfaction and when Solomon or Lucifer would touch the boy the same way Ryouta would something inside him burned with fury.

Maybe he had come to accept the boy as one of their own. All he knew was that Tetsuya seemed terribly familiar to him at times. It was maddening. There was no way that he could know the kid before all of this had happened. Besides, he had only started getting this feeling of familiarity after the kid hit his maturity.

He opened the door to the baths. The nymph was almost always in there nowadays. Besides, somehow he could feel where the boy was.   
Just like he had thought the small form was sitting in the large bath. He was the only on there. Huh, that was rare. Ryouta stuck to the boy like a leech. It had been five days since he had left the boy…Ah, that was likely where the problem lay. Ryouta needed to feed regularly so he was likely off to find a partner and satisfy his needs. 

Just as well. He pulled off his clothe and lowered himself next to the boy. The nymph’s eyes opened slightly to regard him before he sidled closer. Haizaki froze. That was a first. 

It felt completely natural. Like Tetsuya was right where he belonged. Midorima or Akashi would have questioned and analyzed this. But he wasn’t them so instead he threw an arm over the boy and drew him in closer. If anything, the boy melted again him. That was it. Haizaki gave up and let his instincts take over. He pressed a kiss to the boy’s head and heard him sigh in relief. He grinned into the azure locks. His sweet boy. A flash of flushed skin and sweaty locks filled his mind. He blinked. Yeah, there was probably something going on here. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Solomon thinks about it a long time. He thinks and thinks and thinks until he can’t anymore. Lucifer just sits across him, watching. A small part of Solomon knows that Lucifer shouldn’t be here, that he has duties and that he is here means he shoved them off on someone else to be here. The vindictive part of him hopes Kashina was that unlucky one. Lucifer wouldn’t do that though. She was entertaining their guests.

Everything circled back to them, didn’t it. Should he return their memories? Or keep them. He still felt that they didn’t deserve Tetsuya. But this wasn’t about him. It wasn’t even about them. Tetsuya was the only thing that mattered. The nymph was wilting. Dying. 

Somehow Ryouta seemed to have regained his memories. Tetsuya bloomed under his attentions. Affection and adoration hung in the air whenever they were together. It would be sickening to watch if it weren’t for how much happier his friend seemed to be when with incubus. 

The same counted for Haizaki. While the Naga didn’t seem any wiser about their history together he seemed to instinctively know the nymph was precious now that Tetsuya’s magic was the same as Ayus had been. He was careful with the nymph and surprisingly affectionate. It was strange to watch. Even with Ayus he hadn’t been this careful. He guessed it had to do with how quickly Tetsuya’s health was degrading. The nymph flourished under his attentions, soaking it all in. 

If Solomon told the others they likely wouldn’t leave Tetsuya side. The care he would receive would do the nymph good. When he died he would surrounded by his mates. The way he should have been the first time.

Perhaps the choice had been obvious all along. He looked up. Lucifer stared at him from his spot across the room. The other leaned forward.

“Finally made your decision?”

Solomon swallowed the anger and resentment he still felt for the demons. “The choice was clear from the beginning, wasn’t it?” 

Lucifer shrugged. “Hatred often clouds minds. Even one as exceptional as your own is no exception.”

Solomon took it as the consolation it was meant to be and gives a short nod. Lucifer pushed off the wall and moved closer to him. The angel pressed a soft kiss to his lips.

“He’ll appreciate it.”

Solomon sighed and answered. “I know.”

He looked over the other’s shoulder and stared at Kiyoshi who’s watching him with a calculating look. “I know.” Then he addressed Kiyoshi. 

“Go get the others of your group.” The demon made move to leave but Solomon halted him “But leave Kise be. He’s attending to his needs.” 

The demon left. Solomon settled back down in the couch and Lucifer left to retrieve Haizaki and keep the nymph company in his stead.

When the angel entered the baths he finds them leaning against each other. Kuroko was dozing against the Naga’s shoulder. He made sure to keep his voice soft when he addresses the demon. 

“Solomon needs you and the others of your group to gather.” Haizaki froze at his voice but stiffly nodded. He looked down at the nymph with hesitance. 

Lucifer tried to reassure him. “I’ll keep him company.”

The demon sneered. Lucifer fondly remembered the last demon he had slaughtered for that before encouraging the other to take his leave.

With an angry look the Naga left. Such a child the demon could be.

Lucifer leaned down and scooped the nymph into his arms. The body felt terribly frail in his arms and for a moment he was reminded of years where the nymph would be sandwiched between him and Solomon. They’d tried for him. It hadn’t been enough. Maybe they hadn’t been enough. It mattered little now. The nymph still holds an important place in their hearts but Lucifer knew they weren’t the ones that made him happiest. It was just the way things were. 

This was sure to be for the best.


End file.
